Invasive Practical Procedures in Hospitals Threaten Us

All invasive practical procedures, operations, plastic surgery, transplant surgery, hip or knee replacement, open heart surgery will soon come to a grinding halt. The very technology we’ve created to help us live more comfortable and, yes, often healthier lives will turn around and bite us-hard. In modern medical practice, up to 80% of hospitalized patients at some point during their admission have some practical procedures performed.

There were 6,381 deaths due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infections in UK. The exact human and financial cost of these is unknown but it is thought that MRSA contributes to or directly causes many hundreds of deaths each year and costs the NHS tens of millions of pounds. Infection is now said to be the 3rd commonest cause of death all over the world.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that each year in the United States there are about 1.7 million nosocomial infections in hospitals and 99,000 associated deaths. The estimated incidence is 4.5 nosocomial infections per 100 admis¬sions, with direct costs (at 2004 prices) ranging from $10 500 (£5300, €8000 at 2006 rates) per case (for bloodstream, urinary tract, or respiratory infections in immunocompetent patients) to $111 000 (£57 000, €85 000) per case for antibiotic resistant infections in the bloodstream in patients with transplants. With these numbers, conservative estimates of the total direct costs of nosocomial infections are above $17bn.

This problem is not unique to one country; the British National Audit Office estimated that the inci¬dence of nosocomial infections in Europe ranges from 4% to 10% of all hospital admissions. In the United Kingdom, they further estimated in 2000 that nosocomial infections contributed to 5000 deaths each year at an annual cost of £1bn to the NHS. China, India, South America, Canada, & Korea have reported high incidence of spreading MRSA & C Diff in their hospitals.

The WHO & the federal government fears that 9 million Americans may become sick as 2.5 million Americans are now colonized in USA. Research team analyzed 135 varieties of MRSA genes collected from 22 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas.

Six bacteria that are now resistant to most antibiotics and antiseptics are: Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella species, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter species are now said to be resistant to most antibiotics, antibacterial wash and antiseptics.

The reduc¬tion of such infections forms an important component of efforts to improve healthcare safety of patients and healthcare workers. Antibiotic resistant bacterial infections are now the biggest threat to Medical profession today.

Doctors and nurses must take care not to introduce infections when performing any practical procedure and strive to reduce infection rate. We must stop blaming hospitals for failing to maintain clean environment and the politicians for not investing on infection control. Its in our hands to bring in changes to protect ourselves our patients and our children.

How We Help Spreading Antibiotic Resistant Bacterial Infection

1. Bacteria have developed resistance to Antiseptic wash and Disinfectants.
2. Low concentration of antiseptic (biocides) makes bacteria resistant to antibiotics & antiseptics.
3. Over enthusiastic hand washing and use of alcohol gel, soap has now been proved to increase colonization of antibiotic and anti-septic resistance bacterial count in the hands of healthcare workers.
4. Dirty hospitals, over crowding and high staff turnover are no longer associated with infection.
5. New strain of antibiotic resistance bacteria to new antibiotics (LRSA), have been reported.
6. Needle-stick may infect healthcare worker but sticking needle through skin can kill patients.
7. Using unsterile glove only protect healthcare workers and is not protecting patients.
8. Multiple attempts to introduce cannulae, catheters, endo-tracheal tubes & injections will facilitate introduction of bacteria present on the skin of the patient and colonized in hands of the operator.