Surveillance and control of infections caused by opportunist germs: aspergillosis

Abstract

Infections by opportunist germs, whose natural habitat is the environment, have acquired greater relevance in the last two decades. Nonetheless, and as happens with infections caused by Aspergillis spp, their diagnosis is very difficult and on occasion can only be confirmed by histological and/or anatomopathological findings. From an epidemiological point of view, it can on occasion be problematical to determine with certainty whether the origin of the infection is a community or nosocomial one. As a result of their ecological niche, these are highly ubiquitous germs and their transmission mechanism is closely connected to the hospital engineering systems, (air conditioning in the cases of infection by Aspergillus spp). This implies that preventive measures basically depend on the activities of designing and maintaining such systems, as is set forth in detail in the chapter "Minimisation of biological risks associated with hospital infrastructure". In this chapter a review is made of the principal aspects relating to the epidemiology of infection by Aspergillus spp; similarly, a review is made of existing scientific evidence in the areas of surveillance and control and the guidelines for recommended actions are detailed. Regarding those actions, concerning which there is no unanimity of criteria amongst the different schools, the existing alternatives are explained.