Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 22, 2026
Application of the Intelligent High-Throughput Antimicrobial Sensitivity Testing/Phage Screening System and Lar Index of Antimicrobial Resistance
Published on: July 21, 2023
Surveillance of healthcare acquired infections by "alert microorganisms": preliminary results
I Santino1, A Teggi2, M Marangi2
1Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Background:
We evaluated the trend of four years (2015 - 2018) of "alert organisms" surveillance carried out at the 450 bed teaching hospital S. Andrea in Rome.
Methods:
All patients with an "Alert organism" isolation were screened. In accordance with definitions used by the Centers for Disease Control patients with an "alert organism" isolation were evaluated for infection or colonization, by an infection control team (ICT).
Results:
Between April 2015 and December 2018 a total 4,762 specimens with "Alert organism" isolation were screened and 1,601 patients were surveyed and included in the study. Overall 780 (48.8%) patients developed an healthcare acquired infection (HAI) at our institution, whereas 311 (19.4%) entered with a community acquired infection, 254 (15.8%) with an infection acquired in another healthcare setting and 256 (16.0%) resulted simply colonized. The 780 patients who developed an HAI at our institution presented 878 infectious episodes and the isolation of 931 microorganisms. C. difficile infections were the most common (27.2%), followed by 21.3% respiratory tract infections, 16.9% urinary tract infections, 15.5% surgical site infections, 12.5% bloodstream infections, 3.6% ulcers and 3.0% others. Among HAI group Gram negatives (54.1%) were more frequent than Gram positives (45.9%), whereas in patients entering in the hospital already with a community infection Gram positives overpassed Gram negatives (58.7% vs. 41.3%; p<0.001). Most common pathogens responsible for HAI were C. difficile (25.6%), Klebsiella spp. (25.5%), MRSA (19.6%) and Acinetobacter spp. (15.3%). Notably 30.0% HAI at other institutions were represented by C. difficile. Impressively, >40% of community acquired infections were related to MRSA.
Conclusions:
The present study provided some useful insight into the major multi-resistant pathogens epidemiology at our institution. The Authors succeeded in organizing a multidisciplinary ICT that created a partnership feeling with the hospital personnel.
Insights
This study tracked alert organisms in a teaching hospital from 2015-2018. Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) were common, with C. difficile and Gram-negative bacteria being frequent culprits.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Hospital Epidemiology
- Antimicrobial Resistance
Background:
- Surveillance of "alert organisms" is crucial for understanding hospital-acquired infections (HAIs).
- This study analyzed four years of surveillance data (2015-2018) from a 450-bed teaching hospital in Rome.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the epidemiological trends of alert organisms.
- To identify the prevalence and types of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and community-acquired infections (CAIs).
- To analyze the common pathogens responsible for HAIs.
Main Methods:
- Screening of all patients with "alert organism" isolation.
- Evaluation of infection or colonization by an infection control team (ICT) following CDC definitions.
- Analysis of 4,762 specimens and 1,601 patients over a 45-month period.
Main Results:
- 48.8% of patients developed HAIs, 19.4% had CAIs, 15.8% had infections from other healthcare settings, and 16.0% were colonized.
- Clostridioides difficile was the most common cause of HAI (27.2%), followed by respiratory (21.3%) and urinary tract infections (16.9%).
- Gram-negative bacteria were more frequent in HAIs (54.1%), while Gram-positive bacteria predominated in CAIs (58.7%). Common HAI pathogens included C. difficile, Klebsiella spp., MRSA, and Acinetobacter spp.
Conclusions:
- The study provides insights into the epidemiology of multi-resistant pathogens at the institution.
- A multidisciplinary infection control team (ICT) was successfully organized, fostering collaboration with hospital personnel.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Healthcare Associated Infections I: Iatrogenic, Exogenic and Endogenic
HAIs significantly increase the cost of health care. Extended stays in healthcare institutions, increased disability, increased costs of medications, including specialized antibiotics, and prolonged recovery times add to the patient's expenses and the healthcare institution and funding bodies. Common...
01:22Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
01:25Rapid Identification of Pathogens
01:24Automated Microbial Diagnostics