Multiresistant pathogens in hospitals

The rapid spread of resistant bacterial strains makes the use of reserve antibiotics necessary, more and more frequently, which might lead to infectious diseases that can not be effectively treated in the near future. Because of this, many countries and health organizations work diligently to curb the spread of these multiresistant pathogens. In addition to the development of new active ingredients and a more stringent prescription regimen for antibiotics, hygiene measures are of paramount importance. Primarily, proper hand disinfection can already significantly reduce the risk of transmission. Recent studies have focused on germination in a patient's immediate environment, proving that many areas are contaminated and pathogens can survive in a hospital environment for a long time. Thus, the surveys found resistant pathogens in the rooms and even beds, although the patients were not considered infected or colonized. At the same time, the risk of infection rises - despite appropriate disinfection - if the previous patient was infected or colonized in the same room. One reason for this development could be a form of resistance to some of the disinfectants, or improper cleaning and disinfection of the used medical tools.

A US study revealed that less than half of the surfaces in a patient's rooms were cleaned during routine cleaning and that, in addition, particularly mobile devices represented a potential source of infection. According to a survey article, which included 23 studies on the topic, different germs  populated 86.8% of all medical devices. For this very reason, seca focuses on functionality, ergonomics and particularly hygiene when developing a new product. All of our products are easy to clean and disinfect and provide pathogens little to no room to populate. Even simple measures, such as better personnel training and maintaining an existing hygiene routine, such as cleaning and disinfecting protocols, can significantly reduce the risk of infection. In future, the development of new surfaces and more effective disinfection methods could further reduce the risk of hospital infections.

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