Resistant strains, on the other hand, are almost entirely dependent on hospital infection for their transmission, Dr. Lipsitch said. That process can activate a cycle of transmission of drug-resistant organisms within a hospital. This flow-through is not the answer. But at the level of the hospital, it helps improvements in the hospital take effect faster. The researchers published a paper on the model in the Feb. 15 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Pathogenic microbes can be dangerous foes, especially in a hospital setting.
Preventing as many health care associated infections as possible is a high priority. Prevention, not just control Hospital-acquired infections tend to involve bacterial flora that are normally found on the skin, in the gut or in the upper respiratory tract, Dr. Lipsitch said. Vaccinations, appropriate use of antibiotics, proper hand-washing and making sure catheters are removed as soon as possible are among the most effective strategies used to prevent drug resistance. If you improve vaccination rates for influenza and Streptococcus pneumoniae, that means you will have fewer infections that might be treated inappropriately and develop resistance. Catheters offer a primary route for transmission by providing a mechanism for bacteria to enter normally sterile sites.