Hospital infection is a relatively common risk in healthcare facilities, and researchers have found that this is apparently due to the presence of patients themselves. A study at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, in the United States, found evidence that some bacteria that cause nosocomial infections originate from hospitalized patients.
Scientists were analyzing mice when they discovered that, even without previously detecting bacteria in the bladder, inserting sterile catheters into the animals’ urinary tract activated the dormant microorganisms. Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) hidden in the cells of the organ. As soon as they appeared, they multiplied and caused a urinary tract infection.
The findings suggest that by revamping patient screening for hidden reservoirs of dangerous bacteria, it is possible to complement efforts to control new nosocomial infections. This, in turn, would help to prevent deaths.
“Cleanliness is not enough, and no one is quite sure why. This study shows that patients themselves may be unwittingly carrying the bacteria to the hospital. This has implications for infection control,” said senior co-author Mario Feldman.
“If someone has surgery planned and is going to be catheterized, we can try to determine if the patient is a carrier of the bacteria and cure that person before surgery. Ideally, this would reduce the risks of developing one of these life-threatening infections,” he explains.
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