Nosocomial infections as a growing therapeutic problem

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are infections that develop during a patient’s hospitalization, which were not in the incubation period at the time of admission to the hospital. They represent a significant issue in modern medicine, impacting the length of hospitalization, increasing treatment costs, and raising patient mortality rates.

The main risk factors for healthcare-associated infections include prolonged hospitalization, previous antibiotic therapy, mechanical ventilation, vascular and urinary catheterization, surgical procedures, and weakened immune function. These infections are often caused by microorganisms that colonize the hospital environment and can easily spread between patients, staff, and medical equipment.

A particular threat comes from multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), which are capable of surviving under harsh hospital conditions and exhibit resistance to multiple groups of antibiotics. Research confirms that contaminated hospital environments play a key role in the transmission of pathogens such as MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus), VRE (Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus), ESBL (Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamases), KPC (Klebsiella pneumoniae Carbapenemase), and NDM (New Delhi Metallo-beta-lactamase).

Antimicrobial resistance is a global problem, representing one of the most serious public health challenges. Resistance to antimicrobial drugs refers to the ability of bacteria to survive and multiply despite the use of antibiotics. Microorganisms have developed numerous defense mechanisms, including enzymatic inactivation of drugs, changes in the targets of antibiotics, restricting their entry into cells, and actively expelling drugs from cells.

The growing problem of multidrug resistance complicates the effective treatment of hospital infections, significantly increasing the risk of complications, treatment costs, and mortality. Effective infection prevention and control are crucial to addressing this issue.