Nosocomial Infections: Microbiology Critique Report Analysis

This report presents a critique of nosocomial infections, also known as healthcare-associated infections (HCAI). It begins by highlighting the common occurrence of these infections in patients under intensive medical care and emphasizes that while ventilators and catheters are often associated with these infections, improper handwashing is a significant contributor. The report critiques a scientific research paper discussing four main types of nosocomial infections: central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI), catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), surgical site infections (SSI), and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). It notes the exclusion of PPE-associated and handwashing-related infections, despite their danger. The report then discusses nosocomial pathogens, correctly identifying bacteria, fungi, and viruses as the main groups, including MRSA. However, it points out the omission of protozoan infections, such as malaria and toxoplasmosis, which are particularly risky for patients with AIDS, transplant recipients, and children. The report concludes by emphasizing the need for a collaborative approach, including improved hygiene, strict drug disposal norms, and staff training, to reduce nosocomial infections, given the increasing burden of antimicrobial resistance.

Running head: MICROBIOLOGY
CRITIQUE- NOSOCOMIAL INFECTIONS
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1MICROBIOLOGY
Nosocomial infections are also known as healthcare-associated infections or HCAI. These
infections have been found to occur in patients who are under intensive medical care inside a
healthcare facility. In the beginning, this paper stated that nosocomial infections are mostly
associated with ventilators and catheters1. However, this is not always the case since one of the
most significant cases of nosocomial infections has been identified to have occurred due to
improper hand washing. This essay will be a critique of nosocomial infections discussion that is
done in an authentic scientific research paper.
Four main types of nosocomial infections were discussed in this paper which is named as
CLABSI or the central line-associated bloodstream infections, CAUTI or the catheter-associated
urinary tract infections, surgical site infections of the SSI and VAP of ventilator-associated
pneumonia. Pieces of evidence can be gathered from the internet in various databases discussed
these four types as the major kinds of nosocomial infections. However, PPE associated
nosocomial infections and nosocomial infections due to improper handwashing have been
completely excluded from the research2. There are many pieces of evidence that the two types of
nosocomial infections are very much dangerous for patient life since it gets directly transferred
from the carelessness of the healthcare workers. Next, this paper discussed the types of
nosocomial pathogens. This discussion can be stated to be nearly perfect in this paper because it
discussed the three most significant groups of pathogens associated with the cause of nosocomial
infections. Bacteria, fungi and viruses are the three pioneer groups of nosocomial infections.
Some of the bacteria were also named correctly including MRSA or the Methicillin-resistant S.
aureus. This bacteria has been found to be resistant to methicillin and became a major pathogen
11. Khan, Hassan Ahmed, Fatima Kanwal Baig, and Riffat Mehboob. "Nosocomial infections: Epidemiology,
prevention, control and surveillance." Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine 7, no. 5 (2017): 478-482.
22. Athavale, Virendra S., Aditya P. Lad, Bhoomi G. Raval, Prachi C. Bhide, and Iresh A. Shetty. "Importance of
handwashing prior to wound dressings in prevention of nosocomial infection in surgical wards." International
Surgery Journal 5, no. 4 (2018): 1422-1427.

2MICROBIOLOGY
of nosocomial infections in the 19th century. The major weakness of this paper for this section
was that it did not discuss protozoan infections in the list of nosocomial infection pathogens.
Thus factor also becomes a question for all the readers who have gone through this paper. Many
pieces of evidence are there which states that Enteric protozoan parasites including malaria,
toxoplasmosis, scabies, myases and American trypanosomiasis have been found to be the most
frequently reported protozoan nosocomial infections3. Researches have also shown that patients
with AIDS, transplant recipients and children are most at risk of protozoan nosocomial
infections4. Since the paper for nosocomial infections was a general discussion, the authors may
have skipped this part,
Due to the increased burden of antimicrobial resistance, it has become very hard to control the
prevalence of nosocomial infections in the associated healthcare settings. Thus, a collaborative
approach is required from all healthcare sectors in maintaining hygiene inside the healthcare
setting while delivering patient care and also follow the strict drug disposal norms. Proper staff
training focusing on biosafety has been found to be the major weapon to fight the occurrence of
nosocomial infections in healthcare settings. A combination of all the above factors will
definitely help in the reduction of nosocomial infections rates across all the healthcare settings in
the world.
33. Sharma, Sumit, and Sueeba Shabir. "The Menace of Nosocomial Infections." infection 46, no. S5 (2017): S350-
S359.
44. Norman, Francesca F., Belén Comeche, Sandra Chamorro, José-Antonio Pérez-Molina, and Rogelio López-
Vélez. "Update on the major imported protozoan infections in travellers and migrants." Future Microbiology 15, no.
3 (2020): 213-225.

3MICROBIOLOGY
References
1. Khan, Hassan Ahmed, Fatima Kanwal Baig, and Riffat Mehboob. "Nosocomial infections:
Epidemiology, prevention, control and surveillance." Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical
Biomedicine 7, no. 5 (2017): 478-482.
2. Athavale, Virendra S., Aditya P. Lad, Bhoomi G. Raval, Prachi C. Bhide, and Iresh A. Shetty.
"Importance of handwashing prior to wound dressings in prevention of nosocomial infection in
surgical wards." International Surgery Journal 5, no. 4 (2018): 1422-1427.
3. Sharma, Sumit, and Sueeba Shabir. "The Menace of Nosocomial Infections." infection 46, no.
S5 (2017): S350-S359.
4. Norman, Francesca F., Belén Comeche, Sandra Chamorro, José-Antonio Pérez-Molina, and
Rogelio López-Vélez. "Update on the major imported protozoan infections in travelers and
migrants." Future Microbiology 15, no. 3 (2020): 213-225.