Recently tested strategies to reduce nosocomial infections in the neonatal intensive care unit

Abstract

Recent years have witnessed a renewed interest in reducing hospital-acquired infections in critically ill patients. We review three recently tested strategies to decrease nosocomial infections specifically in the neonatal intensive care unit. These include improvement of hand hygiene, the incorporation of hand-hygiene practices into broader care bundles, and the prophylactic administration of antimicrobials, especially fluconazole, to infants at high risk prior to the onset of infection. The effectiveness of the first two interventions is well supported, particularly in older patient populations, while the effectiveness of the third is counterbalanced by the threat of the emergence of resistant-organism infections.

Keywords::

• care bundles
• fluconazole
• hand hygiene
• newborn
• nosocomial infection

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.