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Let's fight infections

Acquired infection in hospital: How can you help prevent it

Hospitalization can become a reality for anyone of us, whether it is a fractured bone, a heart defect, kidney stones or any other reason. While you place your trust in the healthcare provided by professionals, you also play a vital role in this process. 

Nobody wants to get an infection in hospital, nevertheless, the risk is there.

Up to 10% of patients worldwide can develop a healthcare-associated infection.[1] 

Clean skin. Protected health. Strengthen safety to help reduce HAI.

Why do we recommend a whole-body decolonization prior to your hospitalization?

Bacterial colonization on the body of healthy individuals is quite normal, physiologic, and even beneficial, e.g. for the skin’s protective acidic mantle. But there are situations and circumstances where these microorganisms may cause complications, especially during hospitalization.

In individuals with a weakened immune system, for example, such normally harmless bacteria or pathogens can cause severe infections or more serious diseases. This can lead to severe complications and delayed recovery or healing. Additionally, a critical risk is the transmission of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) from the skin into wounds or the blood during surgery.

As MDRO colonization constitutes a relevant risk factor for the individual patient and other hospitalized patients, one current approach in many hospitals is to screen patients for MDROs, especially prior to surgeries. Thus, if patients are found to have multidrug-resistant pathogens, in most cases they must be immediately isolated or sent back home and surgery or other treatment is postponed.

elderly man performing  antimicrobial mouth rinsing at home in front of bath mirror
elderly man performing  antimicrobial nose rinsing at home in front of bath mirror

References

  1. World Health Organization. Report on the burden of endemic health care-associated infection worldwide. Geneva: WHO; 2011. Available at: http://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/80135 [last accessed December 2022]
  2. Schweizer ML, Chiang HY, Septimus E, Moody J, Braun B, Hafner J, Ward MA, Hickok J, Perencevich EN, Diekema DJ, Richards CL, Cavanaugh JE, Perlin JB, Herwaldt LA. Association of a bundled intervention with surgical site infections among patients undergoing cardiac, hip, or knee surgery. JAMA. 2015 Jun 2;313(21):2162-71. doi: 10.1001/jama.2015.5387. PMID: 26034956.
  3. Data on file #1
  4. Data on file #2
  5. Data on file #3 (report on request)