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Nosocomial Infection Facts

If you get an infection while hospitalized, it's considered a nosocomial infection. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the most common types of health care-associated infection involve the urinary tract, the blood stream, the site of a surgical incision or pneumonia. Each year, the CDC estimates (reference 1) that U.S. hospital patients develop 1.7 million nosocomial infections and roughly 99,000 people die from them. Preventing infections makes hospitals safer for patients.

  1. Definition

    • If you had no signs of an infection when you were admitted to the hospital but get one at least 48 hours later, it is considered a nosocomial infection. Getting an infection when you are already sick makes it even harder to get well. Patients in hospitals are more prone to infection because their immune system is often already weakened. Nosocomial infections can be caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi or even parasites.

    Infection Types

    • Urinary tract infections that develop from catheters are the most common infection type. Because a catheter is inserted into the body, micro-organisms have easy access. Patients on ventilators are also at higher risk of developing pneumonia from hospital-acquired organisms. Blood stream infections, which are quite serious, can develop when an infection reaches the blood. This type of infection can cause sepsis and even death. Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), known as a "superbug" because of its resistance to antibiotics, is another type of nosocomial infection.

    Prevention

    • Infection control measures can reduce the prevalence of hospital-associated infections. One of the easiest ways to reduce infections is by hand washing, according to the World Health Organization (reference 2, pg 30). Other methods include using gloves, adopting sterilization and aseptic practices for surgery and ensuring laundry is clean. Good nutrition also helps patients fight off infection.

    Health Care Workers

    • While health care workers are an important part of any patient prevention strategy, they must also reduce their own risk of infection. Effective infection control decreases health care workers' exposure not only to infection but to diseases such as HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. The CDC (reference 3) has guidelines so that diseases and illness are not passed from workers to patients and vice versa. Many of the practices are similar to patient prevention, involving hand washing and other sanitary techniques. Vaccinations for health care workers can also prevent the spread of infection.

    Cost

    • Society pays a high price for nosocomial infections. A recent CDC (reference 4) report estimated that infections cost between $28 and $33 billion each year. This places a financial burden on patients, insurance companies and hospitals. An estimated 45 percent of infected patients needed additional treatment, averaging 18 more days in the hospital. Preventing infection reduces the burden on everyone involved in health care.

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