Strategy and technology to prevent hospital-acquired infections: Lessons from SARS, Ebola, and MERS in Asia and West Africa

Abstract

Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are serious problems for healthcare systems, especially in developing countries where public health infrastructure and technology for infection preventions remain undeveloped. Here, we characterized how strategy and technology could be mobilized to improve the effectiveness of infection prevention and control in hospitals during the outbreaks of Ebola, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Asia and West Africa. Published literature on the hospital-borne outbreaks of SARS, Ebola, and MERS in Asia and West Africa was comprehensively reviewed. The results showed that healthcare systems and hospital management in affected healthcare facilities had poor strategies and inadequate technologies and human resources for the prevention and control of HAIs, which led to increased morbidity, mortality, and unnecessary costs. We recommend that governments worldwide enforce disaster risk management, even when no outbreaks are imminent. Quarantine and ventilation functions should be taken into consideration in architectural design of hospitals and healthcare facilities. We also recommend that health authorities invest in training healthcare workers for disease outbreak response, as their preparedness is essential to reducing disaster risk.

Topological dynamics of the 2015 South Korea MERS-CoV spread-on-contact networks

“…However, patients with worsening conditions should seek prompt medical attention following a monitor of their health status for 14 days after the exposure event 41,42 . Secondly, our analysis reveals that relatively large tertiary hospitals have higher rates of MERS transmission than small community hospitals, because, in addition to poor disease control facilities, they typically have large numbers of patients and visitors who are engaged in doctor shopping 43,44 . Therefore, it is necessary to put effective quarantine and adequate facility ventilation on the agenda.…”

“…Therefore, it is necessary to put effective quarantine and adequate facility ventilation on the agenda. Furthermore, to improve the response activities of hospital staff in infection prevention and control, timely education and training must be provided 43 . It is also necessary that, regardless of the diagnosis, healthcare facilities should always share essential information in a timely manner with other facilities at the early stage of the outbreak.…”

Counting the cost of COVID-19

“…In recent years we have witnessed an increased growth and spread of communicable and highly contagious viruses and diseases like EBOLA [3], HIV Aids [4], Swine Influenza (H1N1, H1N2) [5], various strands of Flu [6], Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) [7] and Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) [8] in Africa, the Middle East and several other parts of the world. Wiping, cleaning and treatment of some of these viruses is a very challenging job [9], and so it is very difficult to assess the spread of some of these viruses (e.g. Ebola) which could create havoc in the society.…”

Fatigue among health care workers during emergency interventions using biological personal protective equipment: an observational simulation study

“…Previous epidemic incidents, such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), the middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) or the Ebola virus epidemic, among others, represented a global wake-up call [1,2]. Although biohazard incidents are part of the governments' agenda, they are still perceived by the general population as novel types of threats.…”