Recent advances in understanding the epidemiology of healthcare-associated infections

Abstract

Since the 2014 publication of updates to the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) compendium of strategies to reduce healthcare-associated infections, there have been several advances in understanding the epidemiology of these diseases. This review article captures many of the key advances but does not include all of them.

Identifying, deconstructing, and deimplementing low-value infection control and prevention interventions

“…Examples of interventions that have been called into question as potentially low value and relevant to IPPCs include the excessive use of urinary catheters, active screening for drug-resistant organisms, and antimicrobial prophylaxis for surgical-site infections in low-risk surgical procedures. 3…”

“…ICPPs were often forced to make difficult decisions regarding which infection preventions were most critical and effective to preserve limited resources. 3 In addition, multiple COVID-19 transmission mitigation strategies commonly utilized are now being re-evaluated as potentially low-value interventions, including the use of gowns and gloves, asymptomatic laboratory screening for COVID-19, and the role of negative pressure rooms for non-aerosol-generating procedures. 4,5 As an example of a contested infection prevention practice in light of COVID-19 is active screening for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE).…”

“…Examples of interventions that have been called into question as potentially low value and relevant to IPPCs include the excessive use of urinary catheters, active screening for drug-resistant organisms, and antimicrobial prophylaxis for surgical-site infections in low-risk surgical procedures. 3 Challenges surrounding coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) substantiated the importance of robust ICPPs; however, pandemic-related supply chain disruptions and healthcare personnel shortages further emphasized the need to limit low-value interventions. ICPPs were often forced to make difficult decisions regarding which infection preventions were most critical and effective to preserve limited resources.…”