ZEBA NAJ, ANSHU KUMAR SINGH AND PANKAJ KISHOR MISHRA
Abstract
Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), also known as healthcare-associated infections, are infections that patients acquire while they are in the hospital. They are typically not present or might be incubating at the time of admission. HAIs usually manifest 48 hours after admission to the hospital. The National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) closely monitors HAIs to prevent them and improve patient safety. HAIs include central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI), catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), surgical site infections (SSI), and Hospital-acquired Pneumonia (HAP), Ventilator-associated Pneumonia (VAP), and Clostridium difficile infections (CDI). For the last few decades, hospitals have taken HAIs seriously. Several hospitals have established infection tracking and surveillance systems in place, along with robust prevention strategies to reduce the rate of HAIs. HAIs can have a significant impact on patients, both at an individual level and at the community level. They can lead to longer hospital stays, increased costs of care, and even death. HAIs can also be linked to the spread of multidrug-resistant infections. In recent years, the definitions of pneumonia have been changed to better identify patients at risk for multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens. This change was made to avoid the overuse of antibiotics. The term Healthcare-acquired Pneumonia (HCAP) has been made obsolete, and the term Hospital-acquired Pneumonia (HAP) has replaced it. HAP is defined as pneumonia that occurs 48 hours or more after admission to the hospital and did not appear to be incubating at the time of admission. Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is defined as pneumonia that develops more than 48 to 72 hours after endo-tracheal intubation. Both HAP and VAP are associated with poorer outcomes and significant morbidity and mortality worldwide.