U.S. hospital-borne infections surged in 2020

September 3, 2021-CDC analysis shows that some medical-related infections in US hospitals surged in 2020 compared to the previous year. .. Soaring hospitalization rates, patients with illnesses requiring more frequent and intensive care, and Pandemic-Stuff shortages and supply shortages contributed to this increase.

A CDC survey released Thursday reported an increase in medical-related infections for the first time since 2015. Infection control and hospital epidemiology

The findings “reflect the tremendous stress COVID has put on our healthcare system.” Arjun Srinivasan, MD,Says the Deputy Director of the CDC’s Healthcare-related Infection Prevention Program in Atlanta.

Although he was not the author of the article, the study was conducted under his supervision.

“We don’t want anyone to read this report, which I think represents the failure of individual healthcare providers or healthcare providers in this country in the care of COVID patients,” he said. say.

Medical professionals “have provided very good care to patients in very difficult situations,” says Srinivasan.

“People don’t fail—systems fail—and that’s what happened here,” he says. “The systems needed to prevent medical-related infections were not as powerful as needed to overcome this challenge.”

In this study, researchers used data reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network, CDC’s medical-related infection tracking system. The team compared national standard infection rates from 2019 to 2020 for six typical infections.

• Bloodstream infections related to central venous catheters.
• Catheter-related urinary tract infections.
• VentilatorRelated event.
• Colon surgery and abdominal infections Hysterectomy
• Clostridium difficile Infection.
• Methicillin resistance Staphylococcus aureus (((MRSA)Infection.

“The new report emphasizes the need for healthcare facilities to strengthen their infection control programs and support them with the right resources to address new threats to public health, while at the same time ensuring the benefits of combat. I am. [infections] It won’t be lost. “

Analysis revealed a significant increase in bloodstream infections nationwide around the central line, a long IV line inserted into a large vein.Catheter, ventilator, and MRSA Infectious diseases have also increased.

The influx of sick patients into hospitals in 2020 has led to more frequent and longer use of medical devices such as catheters and ventilators. Using these devices increases the risk of infection. David P. Calfy, MDSays the Chief Medical Epidemiologist at the Presbyterian / Weil Cornell Medical Center in New York City.He is the editor Infection control and hospital epidemiology I was not involved in the study.

The lack of personal protective equipment and crowded intensive care units could also have affected how care was delivered, he said. These deficiencies can lead to “a diminished ability to provide some types of care needed to optimally reduce the risk of infection.”

There were no changes or reductions in colon surgery or abdominal related infections HysterectomyProbably because less selective surgery was performed, Surinivasan said.Infectious diseases related to it’s difficult– – Commonly known as C-diff-it also declined in 2020.

Common practices for preventing the spread of COVID-19 in hospitals, such as cleaning the environment, using personal protective equipment, and isolating patients, are: it’s difficult.. While these procedures help protect against MRSA infections, many other factors, especially the use of medical devices such as ventilators and catheters, can increase risk, says Srinivasan.

Further research is needed to determine the reasons for these surges, but the findings help quantify the extent of these surges across the United States, Calfee says.

This data allows hospitals and medical professionals to “look back on what we have done and think positively about what we can do in the future,” he says. How we can provide care “