Impacto da resistência bacteriana no combate das infecções relacionadas à assistência à saúde.

Abstract

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are infections that people get while they are receiving medical treatment for certain health condition in a healthcare environment. When reported, these infections are characterized as more obvious signs of health system inadequacy. The environment occupied by colonized or infected patients may become contaminated by bacteria and it constitutes a secondary deposit, which favors cross-transmission. Thus, there is the emergence of new strains that produce enzymes such as extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL), AmpC and carbapenemases, especially KPC-1 and NDM, which can degrade antimicrobial and produce modifications that prevent the entry or change the action site of drugs that are part of the resistance mechanisms of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. The isolation of these bacteria and the explanation of their resistance mechanisms promote knowledge about the performance of multi-resistant bacteria, which can help industries to seek new antibiotics that can reduce infections difficult to treat. Strategies that promote the fight against multidrug-resistant bacteria are based on controlling drugs based on antimicrobial substances, isolated or associated, classifying the use of these drugs under prescription, and as well as about the need of reinforcing the act of washing hands as the most important action in HAIs prevention and control.