Catheter is a common cause of healthcare associated infection

The study findings were published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, a leading journal on infectious diseases, last year.

The article noted that HAIs increase the cost of healthcare. In the United States, the estimated annual cost of treating just five major HAIs was close to US$10 billion (S$13.7 billion) in 2012. There are no figures for Singapore.

Some of the bugs causing the infections here could have been brought in by the patient but had lain dormant until the person's immune system was breached.

Prof Hsu said a common reason for a breach is the use of catheters, since these allow the bug to bypass the body's usual protections.

The study found that half of urinary tract infections, a quarter of hospital-acquired pneumonia and a fifth of bloodstream infections were linked to the use of devices.

It noted: "This represents a key target intervention area for reducing the HAI (Healthcare  associated infection) prevalence in Singapore, as device-associated HAIs are considered to be largely preventable."

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/hospital-patients-at-risk-of-catching-an-infection?xtor=CS3-17