The Future of Nosocomial Infections

Hossein  Moameri; Sahar  Salehi; Ali Akbar  Haghdoost

doi:10.18502/ijph.v54i4.18427

Hossein Moameri Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Ker-man, Iran
Sahar Salehi Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Public Health, Kerman University of Medical Science, Kerman, Iran
Ali Akbar Haghdoost Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Public Health, Kerman University of Medical Science, Kerman, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijph.v54i4.18427

Keywords: Nosocomial infections; Past; Future; Megatrends

Abstract

Nosocomial infections remain one of the most severe public health issues, infecting millions of patients worldwide each year. The global prevalence of nosocomial infections varies between 3.0% and 20.7%, with an incidence rate ranging from 5% to 10%. In this short article, we have tried to present a different perspective on the future of nosocomial infections from the author's viewpoint. According to our assessment, due to megatrends such as global exposure, population aging, and augmenting drug resistance, nosocomial infections are expected to become more severe in the future. On the other hand, advancements in health technologies such as e-health, Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, and less invasive interventions form a new generation of hospitals capable of preventing and controlling nosocomial infections. Presenting novel approaches to nosocomial infection management will transform medicine. Therefore, it seems that in the following years, nosocomial infections will follow a different trend.