
International Infection Prevention Week (IIPW) was celebrated the week of October 16. Established in 1986, it aims to shine a light on infection prevention each and every year. Last year’s IIPW focused on making infection prevention our intention in 2021. This year’s theme is “The Future is Infection Prevention: 50 Years of Infection Prevention”. It highlights the decades of infection prevention throughout APIC’s 50 years and inspires the next generation of infection practitioners to join the fight.
In addition to fighting a global pandemic, the infection prevention and control community is protecting us from surges in healthcareassociated infections, measles outbreaks, flu season, and so many other day-to-day infectious battles.
Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in developed countries. It is estimated that between 5% and 10% of patients admitted to acute care hospitals acquire at least one infection. In addition to the challenges posed by the numbers of HAIs, the complexity of these HAIs and the measures required to prevent them have become more complicated. Additional challenges that come under the umbrella of hospital infection prevention also continue to be identified.
Such challenges include:
- Controlling antimicrobial resistance and spread of multidrug-resistant pathogens;
- Addressing emerging viral infections such as the recent severe acute respiratory syndrome SARS-CoV-2, Monkeypox and even Ebola
- Providing constantly updated data for an increasingly sophisticated public who travels extensively across borders;
- Attempting to modernize surveillance and reporting systems, often with limited resources available; addressing the infectious consequences of ever more complicated medical procedures, with special populations such as highly immunosuppressed transplant patients, gene therapy, xenotransplantation; and maintaining a safe workplace in an ever-more complex medical system.
Infection prevention and control is a discipline in which epidemiologic and statistical principles are used in order to prevent or control the incidence and prevalence of infection. The primary role of an infection prevention and control program is to reduce the risk of acquisition of hospital-acquired infection, thereby protecting both patients and staff from adverse infection-related outcomes. In order to ensure that an infection control program is successful, the appropriate infrastructure and institutional support, both material and administrative, needs to be made available to hospital epidemiology staff.
Exploring the roots
In 1847, Ignaz Semmelweis, an Austrian physician at a maternity hospital, noted a pathologist who cut himself with a scalpel died of the same disease as the corpse he was performing an autopsy on. He also noted that more women died whose babies were delivered by medical students who had just come from performing autopsies than by midwives who did not. He theorized that hands were contaminated and introduced chlorinated lime to be used for handwashing before patients were seen. This simple intervention drastically reduced mortality. Unfortunately, his theories were dismissed by the medical community for 50 years.
In the early 1900s scarlet fever swept through hospitals in the US. The use of antibiotics and improved hygiene practices are attributed for its decline. Within 3 years of this event, every hospital had an officer who worked with other staff and administration to reduce health care acquired infections (HAIs) in general. Negative bacilli became the most common HAI and broadspectrum antibiotics were used for treatment. Unfortunately, this led to highly resistant strains of pseudomonas. By the 1970s the CDC started gathering infection prevention and control (IPC) data to evaluate IPC practices. It was not until the 1980s that complex efforts were initiated. Before this time, staff did not use gloves to start IV use or change dressings. The use of safety needles or needleless IV sets was nonexistent. Additionally, there was no emphasis on hand washing. Then came HIV and AIDS as well as hepatitis epidemics. Within a short time, the CDC, OSHA, and WHO all issued new recommendations for the health care setting improving infection prevention and control. One of the most important recommendations was the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, recommending proper protection equipment with any potential contact with blood or bodily fluids from any patient.
Think about the long way the world has come and the ever-changing needs for safety for patients, staff, students and the general population! There are many ways everyone can participate in infection prevention, including hand hygiene, environmental hygiene, and good practices in contact. The industry should appreciate all of the work that has been done, and the knowledge gained, and hope for a healthier future. Diversey thanks Infection Preventionists and all those dedicated to reducing the rate of infection.