Health-care-associated infection in Africa: a systematic review
01 Oct 2011-Bulletin of The World Health Organization (World Health Organization)-Vol. 89, Iss: 10, pp 757-765
TL;DR: There is an urgent need to identify and implement feasible and sustainable approaches to strengthen HAI prevention, surveillance and control in Africa and it is revealed that its frequency is much higher than in developed countries.
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To assess the epidemiology of endemic health-care-associated infection (HAI) in Africa. METHODS: Three databases (PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and the WHO regional medical database for Africa) were searched to identify studies published from 1995 to 2009 on the epidemiology of HAI in African countries. No language restriction was applied. Available abstract books of leading international infection control conferences were also searched from 2004 to 2009. FINDINGS: The eligibility criteria for inclusion in the review were met by 19 articles, only 2 of which met the criterion of high quality. Four relevant abstracts were retrieved from the international conference literature.The hospital-wide prevalence of HAI varied between 2.5% and 14.8%; in surgical wards, the cumulative incidence ranged from 5.7% to 45.8%.The largest number of studies focused on surgical site infection, whose cumulative incidence ranged from 2.5% to 30.9%. Data on causative pathogens were available from a few studies only and highlighted the importance of Gram-negative rods, particularly in surgical site infection and ventilator-associated pneumonia. CONCLUSION: Limited information is available on the endemic burden of HAI in Africa, but our review reveals that its frequency is much higher than in developed countries.There is an urgent need to identify and implement feasible and sustainable approaches to strengthen HAI prevention, surveillance and control in Africa.
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01 Jan 2009
1,064 citations
TL;DR: Several studies suggest that simple infection-control procedures such as cleaning hands with an alcohol-based hand rub can help prevent HCAIs and save lives, reduce morbidity, and minimize health care costs.
Abstract: Health care-associated infections (HCAIs) are infections that occur while receiving health care, developed in a hospital or other health care facility that first appear 48 hours or more after hospital admission, or within 30 days after having received health care. Multiple studies indicate that the common types of adverse events affecting hospitalized patients are adverse drug events, HCAIs, and surgical complications. The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention identifies that nearly 1.7 million hospitalized patients annually acquire HCAIs while being treated for other health issues and that more than 98,000 patients (one in 17) die due to these. Several studies suggest that simple infection-control procedures such as cleaning hands with an alcohol-based hand rub can help prevent HCAIs and save lives, reduce morbidity, and minimize health care costs. Routine educational interventions for health care professionals can help change their hand-washing practices to prevent the spread of infection. In support of this, the WHO has produced guidelines to promote hand-washing practices among member countries.
601 citations
TL;DR: 13 recommendations on preoperative preventive measures for surgical site infections are presented, taking into account the balance between benefits and harms, the evidence quality, cost and resource use implications, and patient values and preferences.
Abstract: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are among the most preventable health-care-associated infections and are a substantial burden to health-care systems and service payers worldwide in terms of patient morbidity, mortality, and additional costs. SSI prevention is complex and requires the integration of a range of measures before, during, and after surgery. No international guidelines are available and inconsistencies in the interpretation of evidence and recommendations of national guidelines have been identified. Given the burden of SSIs worldwide, the numerous gaps in evidence-based guidance, and the need for standardisation and a global approach, WHO decided to prioritise the development of evidence-based recommendations for the prevention of SSIs. The guidelines take into account the balance between benefits and harms, the evidence quality, cost and resource use implications, and patient values and preferences. On the basis of systematic literature reviews and expert consensus, we present 13 recommendations on preoperative preventive measures.
546 citations
TL;DR: Efforts are required by all stakeholders to prevent and control nosocomial infections, which cause prolonged stay, disability, and economic burden during hospital stay and Transmission of these infections should be restricted for prevention.
Abstract: Nosocomial infections or healthcare associated infections occur in patients under medical care. These infections occur worldwide both in developed and developing countries. Nosocomial infections accounts for 7% in developed and 10% in developing countries. As these infections occur during hospital stay, they cause prolonged stay, disability, and economic burden. Frequently prevalent infections include central line-associated bloodstream infections, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, surgical site infections and ventilator-associated pneumonia. Nosocomial pathogens include bacteria, viruses and fungal parasites. According to WHO estimates, approximately 15% of all hospitalized patients suffer from these infections. During hospitalization, patient is exposed to pathogens through different sources environment, healthcare staff, and other infected patients. Transmission of these infections should be restricted for prevention. Hospital waste serves as potential source of pathogens and about 20%–25% of hospital waste is termed as hazardous. Nosocomial infections can be controlled by practicing infection control programs, keep check on antimicrobial use and its resistance, adopting antibiotic control policy. Efficient surveillance system can play its part at national and international level. Efforts are required by all stakeholders to prevent and control nosocomial infections.
444 citations
TL;DR: The general public must continue to be made aware of the current scale of AMR’s threat, and must perceive antimicrobials as they are: a non-renewable and endangered resource.
Abstract: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is now a global threat. Its emergence rests on antimicrobial overuse in humans and food-producing animals; globalization and suboptimal infection control facilitate its spread. While aggressive measures in some countries have led to the containment of some resistant gram-positive organisms, extensively resistant gram-negative organisms such as carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae and pan-resistant Acinetobacter spp. continue their rapid spread. Antimicrobial conservation/stewardship programs have seen some measure of success in reducing antimicrobial overuse in humans, but their reach is limited to acute-care settings in high-income countries. Outside the European Union, there is scant or no oversight of antimicrobial administration to food-producing animals, while evidence mounts that this administration leads directly to resistant human infections. Both horizontal and vertical infection control measures can interrupt transmission among humans, but many of these are costly and essentially limited to high-income countries as well. Novel antimicrobials are urgently needed; in recent decades pharmaceutical companies have largely abandoned antimicrobial discovery and development given their high costs and low yield. Against this backdrop, international and cross-disciplinary collaboration appears to be taking root in earnest, although specific strategies still need defining. Educational programs targeting both antimicrobial prescribers and consumers must be further developed and supported. The general public must continue to be made aware of the current scale of AMR’s threat, and must perceive antimicrobials as they are: a non-renewable and endangered resource.
366 citations
Cites background from "Health-care-associated infection in..."
...The burden of drug-resistant infections in low-income countries is of course difficult to quantify, but appears to be manifold higher than those in high-income countries [19,20]....
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References
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TL;DR: In this paper, the NHSN criteria for all healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are presented, including those for the "Big Four" (surgical site infection [SSI], pneumonia [PNEU], bloodstream infection [BSI] and urinary tract infection [UTI]).
4,927 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: In this article, the NHSN criteria for all healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are presented, including those for the "Big Four" (surgical site infection [SSI], pneumonia [PNEU], bloodstream infection [BSI] and urinary tract infection [UTI]).
4,849 citations
TL;DR: The epidemiology of endemic health-care-associated infection in developing countries is assessed and a need to improve surveillance and infection-control practices is indicated.
1,737 citations
TL;DR: Nosocomial infections are today by far the most common complications affecting hospitalized patients, and a single type of nosocomial infection — surgical-wound infection — constituted the second-largest category of adverse events.
Abstract: Nosocomial, or hospital-acquired, infections (more appropriately called health care–associated infections) are today by far the most common complications affecting hospitalized patients. Indeed, the Harvard Medical Practice Study II found that a single type of nosocomial infection — surgical-wound infection — constituted the second-largest category of adverse events.1 Long considered the greatest risk that the hospital environment poses to patients,2 nosocomial infections abruptly became the province of public health officers at the time of a nationwide epidemic of hospital-based staphylococcal infections, in 1957 and 1958.3 Since then, the study and control of nosocomial infections have been profoundly shaped by the discipline . . .
1,096 citations
01 Jan 2009
1,064 citations