Principles of Infection Prevention and Control

Running head: PRINCIPLES OF INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL
PRINCIPLES OF INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL
Name of the Student
Name of the university
Author’s note

PRINCIPLES OF INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Nature of the microorganism...........................................................................................................2
Impact of the infection.....................................................................................................................3
Infection prevention and control measures involved.......................................................................4
Effect of the nursing and public health practice on the prevention of infection..............................5
Audit, surveillance and risk management to prevent the control of infection.................................7
Principles of risk management.........................................................................................................8
Organisation of infection control in the workplace and by the Hong Kong government................9
Recommendations..........................................................................................................................10
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................11
References......................................................................................................................................12

PRINCIPLES OF INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL2
Introduction
Surgical site infection are some of the potential complications, linked with any kind of
surgical procedures. Although SSIs are among the most preventable form of hospital acquired
infections, but they still represent a significant burden on patient mortality and morbidity (Miah
2018). They also incurs additional cost to the health systems and as a result to the entire service
payers worldwide. According to recent study by WHO , SSI has been found to be the most
surveyed and the frequent type of Hospital acquired infection in the low income countries. In
2014, a total of about 15600 cases of surgical site infections has been found at Hong Kong,
associated with the inpatient surgeries.
Nature of the microorganism
Three different types of surgical site infection has been identified by the Centre for Disease
Control and Prevention. They are: superficial infections, deep incisional infections and infections
involving body organs. The severity of the surgical site infection depends upon the location of
the infection and the type of microorganisms involved in the infection. Staphylococcus aureus is
the main microorganism that is found to be responsible for the most common type of surgical site
infection (Bhattacharya et al. 2016). Some of the other organisms that are involved in are
coagulase-negative staphylococci (CONS), Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa,
Enterococcus spp., and Escherichia coli. Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is
one of the most common and dangerous pathogen, that is responsible for the occurrence of most
of the surgical site reaction (Bhattacharya et al. 2016).
Surgical site infections are formed due to the interaction of the microorganisms in a health care
environment, a host who is vulnerable to infection and the chain of transmission. Infection is

PRINCIPLES OF INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL3
caused by the exposure to an infectious agent, multiplying within a susceptible host. There are
five components in the chain of reaction- The pathogen, Reservoir of the agent, Mode of escape
from the reservoir, mode of transmission, a portal of entry.
The reservoir is the place where infectious agent lives, from where it passes to the
susceptible host. Most of the SSI occurs from the body of the patients and also from
contaminated surgical instruments. Some of the inanimate reservoirs are bed rails, medical
equipments. The transmission of the harmful microorganisms occurs on direct contact with the
hospital workers or an environment. Pathogens colonies in the moist and the warm portions of
the body like axilla, perineal area and the trunk. There are certain microorganisms that can form
biofilms around the catheter like Pseudomonas species, Acinetobacterbaumannii and
Stenotrophomonasmaltophila. In case of the central line blood stream infection, Extraluminal
migration is the main route of infection. For the SSIs, urinary catheter, punctures due to IV
procedures and incisions acts as the portals of entry. They can also act as the portal of exit. Some
of the other factors responsible for the entry of the microorganism includes the perioperative
temperature of the body. Unplanned hypothermia in patients impairs the function of immune
system necessary for fighting infections.
Impact of the infection
The development of surgical site infection causes an added burden, besides the huge surgical
costs. The economic burden is increased due to the direct cost increases due to prolonged
hospitalization of the clients, screening tests and treatments. Certain cases might also require
reoperation after the client has contracted with hospital acquired infection that is an additional
cost beyond the normal surgical cost. Furthermore, the length of the hospitalization is also
increased due to this. According to Badia et al. (2017) surgical site infections possess a negative