Nosocomial and opportunistic infections can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi and are more common in immunocompromised patients. An infection is known as an invasion and growth of germs in the body. These germs may be bacteria, viruses, yeast, fungi, or any other microorganisms. An infection can cause fever or any other health problems. There are different types of infections, and nosocomial and opportunistic infections are two of them.
The key difference between nosocomial and opportunistic infection is their occurrence. Nosocomial infection occurs during hospital stays, while opportunistic infection occurs secondary to another condition such as IBD, HIV-AIDS, etc.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is a Nosocomial Infection
3. What is an Opportunistic Infection
4. Similarities – Nosocomial and Opportunistic Infection
5. Nosocomial vs Opportunistic Infection in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Nosocomial vs Opportunistic Infection
7. FAQ – Nosocomial and Opportunistic Infection
What is a Nosocomial Infection?
A nosocomial infection is a healthcare associated infection. Anyone can get this type of infection while staying in a healthcare facility. It may occur after a medical or surgical procedure. This is a broad type of infection. People can get nosocomial infections from germs such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Although anyone receiving care at a healthcare facility can get nosocomial infections, these infections are more common in people with compromised immune systems.
Some of the most common nosocomial infection symptoms include fever, chills, dyspnea, cough, abdominal pain, heart palpitation, polyuria, painful urination, and change in mental state.
A nosocomial infection can be diagnosed through physical examinations, blood tests, and urine tests. Furthermore, treatment for nosocomial infection depends on the type of infection, like giving medicines such as antibiotics, antiviruses, and antifungals.
What is an Opportunistic Infection?
An opportunistic infection is a type of infection caused by pathogens that take advantage of an opportunity that is not normally available. Opportunistic infections can be caused by bacteria, fungi, parasites, or viruses. Moreover, the common symptoms of an opportunistic infection can include fever, headaches, night sweats or chills, painful joints, loss of appetite, enlarged lymph nodes, and swelling.
An opportunistic infection can be diagnosed through patient history, physical examinations, blood tests, cultures, and sensitivity tests. Furthermore, treatment options for opportunistic infection may include medicines like antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, antiretroviral therapy, and antibiotic prophylaxis. Figure 02: Opportunistic Infection
Similarities Between Nosocomial and Opportunistic Infection
- Nosocomial and opportunistic infections can be caused by bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
- Both types are more common in immunocompromised patients.
- They may have similar symptoms: fever, chills, pain, etc.
- Both types can be diagnosed through physical examination and blood tests.
- They can be treated through antibiotics, antiviruses, and antifungals.
Difference Between Nosocomial and Opportunistic Infection
Definition
- Nosocomial infection is an infection that occurs while staying in a hospital facility.
- Opportunistic infection is an infection that occurs in patients with underlying conditions like inflammatory bowel disease.
Broadness
- Nosocomial infection is a more broad type of infection.
- Opportunistic infection is a less broad type of infection.
Symptoms
- Nosocomial infection symptoms include fever, chills, dyspnea, cough, abdominal pain, heart palpitation, polyuria, painful urination, and changes in mental state like confusion and irritability.
- Opportunistic infection symptoms include fever, pain/headaches, night sweats or chills, painful joints, loss of appetite or unexplained weight loss, enlarged lymph nodes, and swelling.
Diagnosis
- Nosocomial infection can be diagnosed through physical examinations, blood tests, and urine tests.
- Opportunistic infection can be diagnosed through patient history, physical examinations, blood tests, cultures, and sensitivity tests.
Treatment
- Treatment for nosocomial infection may include giving medicines like antibiotics (ceftriaxone and cefepime), antiviruses (ganciclovir and acyclovir), antifungals (fluconazole, caspofungin, voriconazole, and amphotericin B), resting, and providing fluids.
- Treatment options for opportunistic infection may include giving medicines like antibiotics (azithromycin or clarithromycin), antivirals (acyclovir or valaciclovir), antifungals (fluconazole or voriconazole), antiretroviral therapy, and antibiotic prophylaxis.
Examples
- Common nosocomial infections include Clostridioides difficile infection, catheter-associated urinary tract infection, central line-associated blood stream infection, MRSA infection, surgical site infection, and ventilator-associated pneumonia.
- Common opportunistic infections include candidiasis, coccidioidomycosis, cytomegalovirus infection, cryptococcosis, herpes simplex-related bronchitis, pneumonitis or esophagitis, histoplasmosis, recurrent pneumonia, tuberculosis, toxoplasmosis, and mycobacterium avium complex infection.
The following table summarizes the difference between nosocomial and opportunistic infection.
Summary – Nosocomial vs Opportunistic Infection
An infection is the invasion of the body tissues by pathogens. The severity of an infection can range from mild to fatal. Nosocomial and opportunistic infections are two different types of infections. Nosocomial infection is a healthcare-associated infection, while opportunistic infection is an infection that is caused by non-pathogenic microorganisms that become pathogenic when the immune system is impaired by an unrelated disease such as cancer, HIV infection, or IBD. This is the summary of the difference between nosocomial and opportunistic infection.
FAQ: Nosocomial and Opportunistic Infection
1. What are the five common nosocomial infections?
- Nosocomial infections are also referred to as healthcare-associated infections (HAI). These infections include catheter-associated urinary tract infections, central line-associated bloodstream infections, surgical site infections, ventilator-associated pneumonia, hospital-acquired pneumonia, and Clostridium difficile infections.
2. Who is at risk for nosocomial infections?
- The people at risk for nosocomial infections include very young people such as premature babies and very sick children, very old people such as the frail and the elderly, people with certain medical conditions such as diabetes, and people with weakened immune systems from a disease.
3. How can nosocomial infections be prevented?
- Nosocomial infections can be prevented by proper hand hygiene, maintaining a safe, clean, hygienic hospital environment, screening and categorizing patients into cohorts based on conditions, public health surveillance, antibiotic stewardship, and following internationally recognized patient safety guidelines.
4. What is an example of an opportunistic infection?
- An example of an opportunistic infection is HIV-related infections. HIV damages the immune system. A weakened immune system makes it harder for the body to fight off HIV-related opportunistic infections. HIV-related opportunistic infections include pneumonia, Salmonella infection, candidiasis, toxoplasmosis, and tuberculosis (TB).
5. How can people prevent getting opportunistic infections?
- Opportunistic infections can be prevented through avoiding exposure to contaminated water and food, taking medicines to prevent certain opportunistic infections, getting vaccinated against some preventable infections, traveling safely, and avoiding cat litter.
Reference:
1. “Nosocomial Infection: What Is It?” WebMD.
2“Opportunistic Infection – An Overview.” Science Direct.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Contaminated surfaces increase cross-transmission” by Intermedichbo (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
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