The nosocomial diseasesor intrahospital, are those that a patient contracts during his hospital stay and that can manifest after medical discharge.
They are more frequent in (ICU) and in patients of advanced age, underlying disease or chemotherapy.
As estimated by the World Health Organization (WHO), 70% of infections acquired in healthcare facilities could be prevented.
This is clear from the (PCI), which leaves other very worrying data.
1 in 10 affected patients will die from a nosocomial infection, despite being the most preventable cause (70%) of serious adverse events in hospitalized patients. This disease causes about 3,200 deaths a year in our country. That translates to about eight deaths a day.
At Hospital La Fe in Valencia, however, a pioneering trial is being developed worldwide for the prevention of nosocomial diseases.
The objective of this research is “to mitigate infections contracted in the ICU by multi-resistant germs that settle on surfaces in the patient’s environment”, explains the doctor Alvaro CastellanosHead of the Intensive Care Service at Hospital Universitari i Politècnic La Fe.
The textile cross contamination in hospitals is one of the main causes of nosocomial diseases. But not only these microorganisms can be present in bedding, but also in food carts, medicines, surgical instruments or in monitoring systems.
NOB166: The hope of the ICUs
These germs have the capacity to create a biofilm that allows them to perpetuate themselves in the ICU environment and be transmitted by the health personnel themselves to other hospital rooms. “The usual cleaning methods may not be entirely effective in eliminating these bacteria and, consequently, reducing the probability of contracting nosocomial diseases.”
And that is where a new product comes into play that has aroused the interest of health professionals. Is called NOB166 and it is based on silver ions (a bactericide) encapsulated in microspheres (nanotechnology) that allow a “sustained over time” release.
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“This bactericide it takes effect immediately, although the novelty is that it lasts over time”, emphasizes Dr. Castellanos, president of the (SEMICyUC).
Nosocomial infections, which represent a huge health cost, are one of the main causes of death
To verify the effectiveness of this disinfectant, a test is being carried out in two complete boxes, to try to control and reduce the appearance of these microorganisms and bacteria responsible for these infections. In one it is cleaned with the biocide NOB166in addition to the usual cleaning, and in another the disinfection procedures that are usually carried out are followed.
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“Randomly, it is applied, in a room with twelve Intensive Care beds, on different elements such as bed rails, computer keyboards and other surfaces that may be contaminated,” he highlights.
“In the other box, the usual cleaning is carried out without the application of this product.”
To confirm that this biocide is effective, bacterial culture tests are carried out weekly both in the rooms and in the patients. “We are comparing one room with the other, in case there are differences in terms of bacterial colonization of surfaces and patients.”
Nosocomial infections: what do they cause?
The most frequent nosocomial diseases, according to the latest report from the (SEMPSPGS), continue to be respiratory, followed by surgical, urinary and bacterial.
They are one of the main causes of death, in addition to the health costs that these infections entail. “Nosocomial infections aggravate functional disability and the emotional stress of the patient and, in some cases, can cause disabling disorders that reduce the quality of life”, emphasizes the WHO.
How are they currently prevented?
In some Spanish hospitals programs have been implemented to reduce nosocomial infections. One of them is the , in 2009, based on the experience carried out in Michigan by Dr. Peter Pronovost of the Johns Hopkins University. Thus, it is intended to reduce the presence of bacteria in the bloodstream through the use of venous catheters.
Also other programs such as , launched in 2011 in ICUs to prevent pneumonias associated with mechanical ventilation. As already mentioned, respiratory infections such as pneumonia (in one or both lungs) are one of the most prevalent nosocomial diseases in Spain.
He La Fe University and Polytechnic Hospital of Valencia It is the first hospital in the world that is testing this biocide in spray format.
The results are so promising that further research is planned at other health centers such as the Hospital of the University of Colorado and The Valley Hospital in New Jersey (United States).