Hospital-acquired infections are the biggest challenge – ET HealthWorld

Recently, AIIMS published a study in Journal of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene analysing fungal carriage on healthcare workers’ hands, clothes and stethoscopes. It revealed that out of 60 healthcare workers, 20 (33%) showed fungal carriage. Aprons/hospital scrubs were contaminated in 17 (28%) and hands in 3 workers (5%). The aprons and scrubs mainly carried moulds belonging to the Aspergillus species, while hands were contaminated with Candida species. Electronic devices and stethoscopes had no fungal contamination, the study noted.

Dr Arvind Kumar, corresponding author of the study, said they did not assess whether the fungal carriage on healthcare workers’ hands or aprons had any correlation with infection among the patients. He said, “AIIMS has one of the most intense infection control programmes, including regular monitoring of hand hygiene, sterilisation of instruments and overall hygiene in hospital settings.”

While a healthy person is not affected by fungi, a person with a weakened immunity can develop serious infection on exposure to the disease-causing organisms. The World Health Organization recommends sterilisation and disinfection of the equipment used by multiple patients (tracheal tubes, ventilators) and of the ventilation system to prevent spread of fungal infection in hospitals.

Additionally, doctors said, overuse of antibiotics must stop because the anti-bacterial drugs also end up killing the good bacteria that prevent fungal infections. The last resort drugs should be used sparingly, they added.

Fungal infections are a serious problem among hospitalised patients and cause increasing morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs, according to the AIIMS study. It reported that a study at a tertiary care centre in India had 15% invasive fungal infections in the ICU, including invasive aspergillosis, invasive candidiasis and mucormycosis.

Fungi naturally live on human skin and on healthcare workers’ hands, says the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The fungi can enter the body through cuts and wounds and cause infection during a hospital stay, especially if the wounds are severe, CDC says. “Fungi are difficult to avoid because they are a natural part of the environment. Fungi live outdoors in soil, on plants, trees, and other vegetation. They are also on many indoor surfaces and on your skin. However, there may be some ways for you to lower your chances of getting a serious fungal infection. This includes timely diagnosis and treatment and maintaining hand hygiene,” said experts.