Submitted by GAtherton on 2 March 2015
Patients who have undergone medical procedures that render them with a weakened ability to fight off infection (i.e. they are immunocompromised) are known to be at risk from invasive fungal infection, mainly invasive aspergillosis. Treatment of invasive aspergillosis is difficult and carries a high mortality, consequently preventing infection is an area of intense interest.
This recent paper carefully analysed the possible risk factors contributing to a fungal infection by comparing the clinical records of those with an invasive fungal infection and those who had not been infected, but who were judged to be just as vulnerable to infection e.g. haematological patients. The most significant result was that the movement of patients away from the carefully controlled conditions in the haematology wards increased the risk of infection over six fold. This suggests that non-specialised systems, staff and accommodation palys a major role in infection.
The authors conclude that ‘a heightened awareness of the need for preventive measures during the entire care process of at-risk patients should be promoted among healthcare workers.’
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