Morteanu S. 1, 2, Chirt Georgiana 2, Beuran M. 1, 2
1 “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
2 Department of Surgery, Bucharest Emergency Clinical Hospital, Bucharest, Romania
Abstract
Hospital-acquired infections have an important impact on intensive care unit patients, since they significantly influence patients’ outcome. Around 30% of the intensive care unit patients develop nosocomial infections. A major issue regarding the pathogens involved in this category of hospital-acquired conditions is the emergence of antibiotic resistance. Several measures for improving infection control both in terms of prevention and therapy have been developed and recommended. Hand hygiene is the single most important procedure for preventing the spread of healthcare-associated infections. Device-related infections are the most common potentially preventable events. Onset timing, presence of risk factors for multi-drug resistant pathogens, as well as posttherapeutic course of patients govern the choice for initial empiric antibiotic therapy along with the duration of antimicrobial treatment.