Hospital infection, also called nosocomial infection, is the single largest factor that adversely affects both the patient and the hospital.
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Patients are forced to stay long in the hospital because of hospital infection, which is further compounded by instituting all types of antibiotics to combat the original and hospital-acquired infection.
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The resultant increase in the length of stay and number of laboratory tests in turn result in increased hospital costs for the patient.
Studies in various countries have proved that a tremendous cost is borne by the patient with nosocomial infection, as he has to undergo a large number of laboratory tests, prolonged length of stay, and loss of working days.
The hospital suffers because of the loss of its effectiveness in terms of qualitative utilisation of hospital beds.
This loss in hospital’s productivity is capable of being brought down with appropriate measures.
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The English word nosocomial is derived from the Greek Nosokomeion, both meaning “hospital”.
Nosocomial infection is the infection that develops in admitted patients after more than 48 hours of hospitalisation.
Bacterial infections which appear within 48 hours of admission are considered as community acquired.
Various estimates have been given by various authorities none of them based on controlled studies on the incidence of hospital infections in our country.
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While studying the working conditions in hospitals in Delhi, the Rao Committee in 1968 reported that although it was difficult to assess the incidence of cross-infection, ample evidence was available to indicate the seriousness and magnitude of the problem.
Virulent pathogens are brought in constantly by new patients admitted with infections, in addition to those already existing in the hospitals’ patient population.
Hospitalised patient can be expected to be more susceptible to infection due to their underlying disease, or by injuries acquired outside or inflicted upon them by surgical procedures and instrumentations in the hospital.
There is an increasing trend of bacterial resistance to drugs and emergence of new strains, with harmless bacteria becoming pathogenic under certain circumstances.
Complicated and lengthy surgical procedures and use of extracorporeal circulation provide microorganisms an increased opportunity of access.
Further, the increasing use of cytotoxic and immunosuppressive drugs which result in lowered patient resistance, coupled with overcrowding in hospitals, shortage of efficient nursing and paramedical staff, and, in general, over-utilisation of facilities all add to the complexity of the problem.