Common infections acquired in intensive care: Microbiological aspects and risk factors

Nosocomial infections are a serious health problem resulting in an enormous burden of morbidity and mortality rates, and high health care costs. The various microorganisms implicated in nosocomial infections were not known for causing recalcitrant nosocomial infections, they are opportunistic pathogens and hence pose a challenge to patients especially those with immunocompromised conditions. Patients at the intensive care unit are the most at risk of these hospital-acquired infections The infections usually encountered in intensive care unit (ICU) include urinary tract infection, pneumonia, tuberculosis, gastroenteritis. The main risk factors for these infections can be divided into three key groups: those related to patient characteristics and underlying diseases, those related to the acute disease process, and those related to the use of invasive diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. Incidence of ICU-acquired infections vary between hospitals and according to the type of population studied, being highest in burn units and surgical and trauma ICUs and lowest in coronary care units.The major preventive effort to reducing the risk of nosocomial infections should be focused on hospitals and other health care facilities. The responsible health authority should develop a national (or regional) programme to support hospitals. Such programmes must assess and promote good health care, appropriate isolation, sterilization, and other practices, staff training, and epidemiological surveillance should be developed

Chemical Proprieties of Biopolymers (Chitin/Chitosan) and Their Synergic Effects with Endophytic Bacillus Species: Unlimited Applications in Agriculture

Over the past decade, reckless usage of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers in agriculture has made the environment and human health progressively vulnerable. This setting leads to the pursuit of other environmentally friendly interventions. Amongst the suggested solutions, the use of chitin and chitosan came about, whether alone or in combination with endophytic bacterial strains. In the framework of this research, we reported an assortment of studies on the physico-chemical properties and potential applications in the agricultural field of two biopolymers extracted from shrimp shells (chitin and chitosan), in addition to their uses as biofertilizers and biostimulators in combination with bacterial strains of the genus Bacillus sp. (having biochemical and enzymatic properties)