Hospital-acquired infections

Hospital-acquired infections (HAI) are defined as infections developing after 48 hours of hospitalization or stay at a healthcare facility that was not present or incubating at the time of admission. HAI have been associated with increasing medical costs, length of stay, complication rates, and worsening overall morbidity and mortality. Many countries and hospitals have adopted policies and regulations in recent years attempting to decrease the impact of these healthcare-associated infections. They encompass a diverse list including skin and surgical site infections, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, bacteraemia, and hospital-associated diarrhoea. For the purpose of this review we will address the predominant resistant healthcare associated pathogens including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium difficile, and vancomycin-resistant enterococci.