Health care providers and patients have long believed that hospital-acquired infections are primarily caused by exposure to superbugs within medical facilities. However, recent genetic data has revealed a different narrative. Studies show that most health care-associated infections actually stem from harmless bacteria already present on patients’ bodies prior to hospital admission. When patients fall ill, these benign bacteria can transform into pathogens responsible for pneumonia, diarrhea, bloodstream infections, and surgical site infections.
Among health care-associated infections, surgical site infections pose particular challenges. Research indicates that surgical site infections contribute significantly to the overall costs of hospital-acquired infections. This type of infection also leads to increased hospital readmission rates and mortality following surgery. Despite hospitals’ extensive efforts to prevent such infections, they still occur in approximately 1 out of 30 procedures, often without a clear explanation.
In light of these challenges, a team of physician-scientists at Harborview Medical Center sought to investigate the underlying reasons for surgical infections. Using advanced genetic analysis techniques, they focused on infections stemming from spinal surgeries. The choice of spinal surgery as a research area was strategic due to its high frequency, resource intensity, and devastating consequences when infections occur.
Through their study, the researchers discovered that the bacteria residing on different parts of a patient’s body play a crucial role in post-surgery infections. Remarkably, 86 percent of bacteria causing infections in spinal surgeries were found to be genetically matched to bacteria already present in patients prior to surgery. Furthermore, a significant percentage of these infections exhibited resistance to antibiotics administered during surgery, indicating that the source of resistance originates from the patient’s own microbiome.
These findings hold significant implications for the prevention and treatment of surgical infections. By understanding the patient’s microbiome beforehand, medical teams can tailor infection prevention strategies to target specific pathogens more effectively. Current protocols, which often follow a generalized approach, could be customized based on individual microbiome profiles to enhance their efficacy.
While the concept of personalized infection prevention shows promise, further research is needed to refine its implementation and assess its impact on patient outcomes. By shifting towards patient-centered approaches, hospitals can potentially improve infection prevention strategies and outcomes for both patients and medical facilities.
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