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PrintInfection Prevention and Control (IPAC)
Frequently Asked Questions
What are hospital-acquired infections?
Sometimes when patients are admitted to the hospital, they can get infections. These are called hospital-acquired infections. In the case of C. difficile, this may mean that the symptoms began 72 hours after admission to the hospital; or that the infection was present at the time of admission but was related to a previous admission to that hospital within the last four weeks.
What is Clostridium Difficile
?
C. difficile is one of the many types of bacteria that can be found in feces (bowel movement) and has been a known cause of health care-associated diarrhea. The hardy bacterium can be found in the intestine, occurring naturally in 3-5 per cent of adults (most commonly in the elderly) without causing symptoms.
What causes C. difficile?
C. difficile can be picked up on the hands from exposure in the environment and can get into the stomach once the mouth is touched, or if food is handled and then swallowed. Once in the stomach, the bacteria usually will not cause any problems unless the other bowel bacteria are disturbed, which can happen when antibiotics are taken. The use of antibiotics increases the chances of developing C. difficile diarrhea as it alters the normal level of good bacteria found in the intestines and colon.
What are the symptoms of C. difficile?
The usual symptoms are mild but can be severe. Main symptoms are watery diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain/tenderness. In some cases there may not be diarrhea. Blood may or may not be present in the stools.
How is C. difficile treated?
Treatment depends on how sick you are. People with mild symptoms may not need treatment. For more severe disease, antibiotics are required.
What precautions are used to prevent the spread of C. difficile in the hospital?
If you are in the hospital and have C.difficile diarrhea, you will be put on precautions until you are free from diarrhea for at least two days. Your activities outside the room may be restricted. All health care staff that enters your room will wear a gown and gloves. Everyone MUST clean their hands when leaving your room. Visit UHN health information for more information about C. difficile.
What is CLI (Central Line Infection)?
Patients who need frequent intravenous (IV) medications, blood, fluid replacement and/or nutrition may have a central venous catheter (or “line”) placed into one of their veins. This line can stay in place for days and even weeks. Central lines may cause infections when bacteria grow in the line and spread to the patient’s bloodstream.
CLIs can be prevented by following good infection control practices when inserting and taking care of the line.
What is Hand Hygiene Compliance?
Hand hygiene relates to the removal of visible soil and reducing the level of bacteria and viruses on the hands of health care workers. This may be accomplished by the use of soap and water or an alcohol based hand rub. Hand hygiene compliance is measured:
- Before contact with a patient
- Before performing sterile procedures
- After possible or known contact with a body fluid
- After contact with a patient
UHN will be reporting hand hygiene compliance before and after healthcare providers have contact with patients on our website. The other two measures will be used to ensure we maintain the highest quality of care.
UHN was one of the pilot sites for the Ontario ‘Just Clean Your Hands’ campaign; we also have a comprehensive hand hygiene strategy in place. For more information visit www.uhn.ca/Home/Bug_stops_here
What is Influenza?
Influenza is better known as “the flu”. It is caused by a virus. The specific type (or strain) of virus changes from year to year. People usually experience sudden symptoms such as sore throat, cough, fever, muscle aches, headache and sometimes weakness. People typically get the flu during the fall and winter months. When they get it, the flu can last from 2 - 7 days. Visit UHN health information for more information about Influenza.
What is MRSA?
MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) is an infection. Staphylococcus Aureus is normally found on the skin and in the nose of healthy people. This is called carriage. Some bacteria have become resistant to the antibiotics that we use to treat infections. MRSA is a type of Staphylococcus aureus that is resistant to most antibiotics, including the antibiotic methicillin. A patient has a case of MRSA bacteraemia when the laboratory has confirmed the MRSA infection is in the bloodstream. Visit UHN health information for more information about MRSA.
What are Nosocomial Infection?
Sometimes when patients are admitted to the hospital, they get infections while they are in the hospital. This is a hospital-acquired infection or a nosocomial infection. Usually it is MRSA, VRE or C. Diff. It is important to monitor for these types of infections because we do not want them to spread between patients or from patient to visitor. We call this process of monitoring infection surveillance. Visit UHN health information for more information about the types of nosocomial infections.
What is Surgical Site Infection – Prevention?
A surgical site infection (SSI) occurs after a surgical procedure as a result of bacteria gaining entry to the body during the surgery. SSIs can develop within 30 days of an operation, or sometimes even up to one year if an implant (such as a knee or hip joint replacement) is used. SSI prevention at UHN measures the percentage of times preventive antibiotics were administered appropriately prior to knee or hip joint replacement surgeries.
At UHN we employ a surgical checklist to ensure that antibiotics are administered at the appropriate time for all of our surgeries, in all of our operating rooms. Toronto General Hospital was one of eight hospitals that participated in a worldwide study that showed that the use of the surgical checklist reduced complications, like SSI, by one-third.
What is VAP (Ventilator Acquired Pneumonia)?
Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is defined as a pneumonia that is due to mechanical, or artificial, ventilation (breathing) of patients in the intensive care unit. VAP is a medical condition that results from infection, which floods the small, air-filled sacs (alveoli) in the lung responsible for absorbing oxygen from the atmosphere. In order for a patient to have VAP he/she must be on a ventilator machine.
VAP can be prevented by following certain practices when caring for patients on ventilators.
What is Viral Gasteroenteritis (Norovirus/Norwalk-like Illness)?
Norovirus or Norwalk-like gastroenteritis is also called "the stomach flu" or "Norwalk". These viruses can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps and low-grade fever. Your symptoms cancome quickly and may last 12 - 48 hours, with the entire episode possibly lasting from 12 - 60 hours. Visit UHN health information for more information about viral gastroenteritis.
VRE
VRE (Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci) is an infection. Enterococci are bacteria commonly found in the bowel of humans and animals. Enterococci can sometimes cause infection. Vancomycin is a strong antibiotic used to treat infections. Sometimes enterococci bacteria can become so strong that they do not respond to Vancomycin. This is known as antibiotic resistance. A patient has a case of VRE bacteraemia when the laboratory has confirmed the VRE is in the bloodstream. Visit UHN health information for more information about VRE.
