Response to Raymonda and Kyle
Raymonda Johnson
Jul 28, 2023 at 4:03 PM
Candida is a yeast microorganism that lives in and on our bodies. It is one of the most common causes of bloodstream infections in the US (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). The CDC performs active population-based surveillance for candidemia (Candida bloodstream infections) through the Emerging Infections Program (EIP) Healthcare-Associated Infections Community (HAIC) Interface (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). In utilizing this information, research conducted by Zhang et al. 2019 concluded that intravenous drug use and the opioid pandemic are causing significant increases in the epidemiology of candidemia. Individuals infected with candidemia can expect a hospital stay of days to weeks. Infection reporting is completed when a patient has a positive blood culture caused by Candida activity. Current research efforts are having difficulty with appropriate data collection as there are no established risk factors for persons susceptible to Candida (Zhang et al., 2019). As clinicians it is imperative that we remain vigilant, especially at the bedside, and current with infection trends. This would be an excellent topic for one of us that is interested in community nursing.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, March 31). Candida bloodstream infections | HAIC activities | HAI | CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/hai/eip/candida.html
Zhang AY, Shrum S, Williams S, Petnic S, Nadle J, Johnston H, et al. The Changing Epidemiology of Candidemia in the United States: Injection Drug Use as an Increasingly Common Risk Factor – Active Surveillance in Selected Sites, United States, 2014–2017external icon. Clin Infect Dis. 2019 Nov 2
Reply
Kyle Disney
Jul 31, 2023 at 1:51 AM
Hello,
The tracking article by the CDC discusses Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) as a leading cause of antibiotic-related diarrhea and watery stools, making it a common healthcare system infection in the United States. To monitor and control CDI, the CDC employs a program called the Clostridioides difficile infection program, which involves active surveillance through the Healthcare-Associated Infections Community Interface (HAIC) and Emerging Infections Program (EIP). This surveillance aims to track the incidence of CDI in the population, describe the characteristics of the strains causing the infection, monitor changes over time, and identify risk factors to inform prevention efforts. This program was launched in 2009 in 7 locations, and expanded further to 10 locations in 2011 (CDC, 2022). The key takeaway is the importance of disease surveillance, particularly for non-communicable diseases. Disease surveillance in the American healthcare system has a long history, and with the use of electronic health records, data collection for surveillance purposes has been possible since the 1990s. The tracking of CDI represents a significant achievement in disease surveillance (Aliabadi et al., 2020). However, there is a need for increased focus on tracking non-communicable diseases among healthcare professionals, particularly in advanced nursing practice. Adequate surveillance is crucial for early identification of at-risk populations and effective disease management. Overall, data from disease tracking programs can aid in planning for prevention and treatment of non-communicable diseases (Budreviciute et al., 2020). By actively engaging in disease surveillance, nurses can make a significant impact on public health, contribute to evidence-based decision-making, and enhance patient care outcomes. Nurses can actively participate in research projects related to disease surveillance. Their insights and experiences at the frontline of healthcare can contribute valuable information to improve surveillance strategies (Anders, 2021).
References
Aliabadi, A., Sheikhtaheri, A., & Ansari, H. (2020). Electronic health record-based disease surveillance systems: A systematic literature review on challenges and solutions. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 27(12), 1977–1986. https://doi.org/10.1093/jamia/ocaa186
Anders, R. L. (2021). Engaging nurses in health policy in the era of COVID-19. Nurse Forum, 56(1), 89-94. https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fnuf.12514
Budreciciute, A., Damiati, S., Sabir, D. K., Onder, K., Schuller-Goetzbug, P., Plakys, G., Katileviciute, A., Kohja, S., & Kodzius, R. (2020). Management and prevention strategies for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and their risk factors. Frontiers in Public Health, 8(2020). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2020.574111
CDC. (2022). Clostridioides difficile Infection (CDI) Tracking. CDC Healthcare-Associated Infections – Community Interface (HAIC). https://www.cdc.gov/hai/eip/cdiff-tracking.html