Primary prevention

Prevention can be focused on issues related to infection control and avoidance of certain procedures/exposures.

Infection control

  • Hand hygiene is the single most important primary prevention strategy a healthcare worker can perform, as it prevents the transmission of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens that cause HAP, such as Acinetobacter.[22][23][24]

  • Other infection control measures such as staff education and isolation to reduce cross-infection with MDR pathogens should be used routinely.[25]

  • Surveillance of intensive care unit infections accomplishes several tasks: identifies and quantifies endemic and new MDR pathogens, prepares timely data for infection control, and guides appropriate antimicrobial therapy in patients with suspected HAP.[25]

  • Without the practice of infection prevention and control, a patient may be admitted without an infection and be discharged with a serious morbidity, or even die before discharge. The process starts with colonisation with an MDR organism, proceeds to invasion of sterile tissue (e.g., lung, blood) with the colonised pathogen, and ends with disease (e.g., HAP, bacteraemia) or even death.

Exposures to avoid

  • Avoiding unnecessary antimicrobial use prevents resistant antimicrobials from residing in intensive care units and colonising patients.

There is insufficient evidence to determine the effect of vitamin C or vitamin D supplementation in the prevention (or treatment) of pneumonia.[26][27]

Secondary prevention

Influenza vaccine may be indicated for those in a facility where an outbreak is occurring, or who meet local criteria. Bacterial pneumonia can follow influenza, so immunisation is important.

Pneumococcal vaccination is not specifically indicated for patients admitted to hospital, but may help prevent infection due to Streptococcus pneumoniae in patients who have comorbidities.

Information on vaccines, vaccination procedures, special patient populations, and current vaccination schedules in the UK can be found in latest UK Health Security Agency vaccination schedule.​​[93]​​

Vaccination schedules vary by location; consult local guidance for recommendations.

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