Aetiology and Significance of Hospital-Acquired Infections in Mexico

Clin Lab. 2017 Feb 1;63(2):207-218. doi: 10.7754/Clin.Lab.2016.151119.

Abstract

Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are infections that develop in the hospital environment and can be acquired by a patient or hospital staff. They are complications that combine diverse risk factors that make an individual susceptible and are frequently caused by endogenous and exogenous bacterial agents. The most commonly studied etiological agents are bacteria and fungi, with the former representing the most common etiological agents reported to the Hospital Epidemiological Surveillance Network (RHOVE) between 2007 and 2012. Among these agents were Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CNS), Enterococcus spp., and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Although obligate anaerobic bacteria are also etiological agents of HAIs, clinical laboratories do not usually perform bacteriological tests to isolate and identify these bacteria. As a result, patients are at a greater risk of not surviving an infection and the epidemiology of this bacterial group is unknown. An important problem associated with HAIs is bacterial multiple drug resistance, which not only increases morbidity and mortality but also the cost of inpatient care. The aim of this review is to provide current information to healthcare professionals on the status of HAIs in Mexico with an emphasis on the etiology, diagnosis, and antimicrobial resistance.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Bacteria / drug effects
  • Bacteria / isolation & purification*
  • Bacterial Infections / drug therapy
  • Bacterial Infections / microbiology*
  • Bacterial Infections / mortality
  • Bacterial Infections / transmission
  • Cross Infection / drug therapy
  • Cross Infection / microbiology*
  • Cross Infection / mortality
  • Cross Infection / transmission
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial
  • Humans
  • Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional
  • Infectious Disease Transmission, Professional-to-Patient
  • Mexico / epidemiology
  • Risk Factors

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents