New system of unit specific, clinical and lab-based surveillance was studied at the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre, in Johannesburg HOSPITAL-acquired infections at a private academic hospital in Johannesburg dropped significantly after a new system for infection prevention and control was established, a study finds.Ventilator-associated pneumonias in the intensive care unit (ICU) decreased by 42% and central-line associated bloodstream infections in the same unit fell by 100% over a three year period at the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre, where the research was done.In SA, an estimated 10% to 20% of patients are at risk of getting infections in hospital, often caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria dubbed superbugs, which are hard to treat.The success of the innovative surveillance system proved that proactive monitoring does contribute to a decrease in infection rates.Hospital-acquired infections are thought to be greater in the public sector, but the true burden is unknown.F...
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