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Nosocomial Infections

Joanna Jiang, MD Reviewed 06/2022
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Health care–associated infections (HAIs)

  • Infection must not have been present or incubating on admission to a health care facility.

  • CDC categories:

    • Catheter-associated urinary tract inf...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • Exposure to health care facility

  • Recent surgery/open wounds

    • Smoking prior to surgery could increase the risk of SSIs (7).

  • History of indwelling devices

    • Urinary catheter placement

    • Indwelli...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

  • Treat with appropriate antibiotics.

  • The use of order bundles improves adherence to sepsis guidelines and improves survival.

  • UTI: Remove urinary catheters.

  • CLABSI: Remove IV cath...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Patient Monitoring

Risk for recurrence is generally low in immunocompetent patients. Manage underlying comorbidities appropriately. 

PROGNOSIS

  • Bloodstream infection ...

REFERENCES

1
Magill SS, O'Leary E, Janelle SJ, et al. Changes in prevalence of health care–associated infections in U.S. hospitals. N Engl J Med. 2018;379(18):1732–1744.
2
Magill  ...

ADDITIONAL READING

  • Brooks SK, Greenberg N, Wessely S, et al. Factors affecting healthcare workers' compliance with social and behavioural infection control measures during emerging infectio...

SEE ALSO

https://www.idsociety.org/practice-guideline/covid-19-guideline-infection-prevention/ 

CODES

ICD10

  • T83.51XA Infect/inflm reaction due to indwell urinary catheter, init

  • T81.4XXA Infection following a procedure, initial encounter

  • J95.851 Ventilator associated pneumonia

  • T82.7XXA Infect/inflm r...

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • Nosocomial infections increase mortality, length of hospital stay, and cost of hospitalization.

  • Proper hand hygiene using an alcohol-based hand product or soap and water should be carri...

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