Lunch & Learn series autumn 2024 (full program is attached and the sessions will be recorded)
4. Antibiotic resistant bacteria & surgical site infections are inseparable. Why?
Surgical site infections (SSIs) are infections that are associated with healthcare, so-called healthcare associated infections (HAIs). Other kind of HAIs are ventilator-associated pneumonia, bloodstream infections etc. Without contact with a hospital or clinic, the patient would not have got these type of infections. This is the same for both human and animal healthcare.
In these settings we use a lot of antibiotics and the only bacteria that are more fit to survive are those that are resistant to antibiotics. If we add poor routines for infection prevention and control these micro-organisms will spread easily. That is the base for why SSIs often are caused by multidrug resistant bacteria. They make treatment with antibiotics diffcult but they do not only pose a risk to the safety of our patients, they are also zoontic agents which make them a work safety hazard.
Ulrika Veziac (former Grönlund) will guide us through the area of antibiotic resistance and the connection with SSIs. She is a veterinarian, Associate Professor Infection Prevention and Control and Head of Medical Sustainability at AniCura Group
Surgical site infections (SSIs) are the burden of surgery. It causes patient suffering, increased costs, frustration and stress for pet owners and staff with decreased client satisfaction followed by bad reputation and decreased credibility. Also, the treatments that follow an SSI will increase our environmental footprint as we will use more material, more antibiotics and maybe more anaesthesia gases depending on the severity of the infection. Then the owner might need to travel multiple times in a car to resolve the problem. Prevention of SSI is the key forward to make us a more sustainable business.
Recently, AniCura has updated our Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Guidelines. By applying the recommendations in these guidelines, we will reduce the spread of micro-organisms in our clinics and therefore, we will prevent patients from disease like surgical site infections. Compliance to our IPC guidelines will also contribute to a safer work environment to Associates.as the risk of transmission of zoonotic diseases declines.
When SSIs occur, it is essential to reflect why. We know that many SSIs are preventable. Here, we have APSIS to help us, however, active surveillance is the base to combat these infections which will give us a more complete picture. To rely on owners coming back is not a trustworthy way. Sampling for bacteriology and sustainability testing is of outmost importance, because in both human and veterinary healthcare, it is more common that resistant bacteria are the cause of the SSIs.
This series of Lunch & Learns will give you an excellent background on why and how to prevent and tackle these infections.
REGISTRATION
To sign up to the event start by selecting quantity in the booking option below. Secondly you fill in your personal details, email address and answer the questions. To finalise your booking press the button "Book" at the end. Confirm your registration by pressing the button "Confirm" in the pop-up window. Within a few minutes you will receive a booking confirmation to your email, follow the link in the email to complete your booking. Once you have done that you will receive another email with a registration confirmation. Then you are registered. Welcome!
Teams Link to Nov 5 about antibiotic resistance issues in surgical site infection.