"Unveiling the Source of Post-Surgery Infections: The Role of Skin Bacteria"
Research reveals that most hospital infections are caused by harmless bacteria already present on patients' bodies before entering the hospital, particularly in surgical site infections. Despite extensive preventive measures, surgical site infections persist, with antibiotic resistance contributing to the problem. By studying the microbiome of patients undergoing spinal surgery, researchers found that 86% of post-surgery infections were genetically matched to bacteria carried by the patients before surgery, with nearly 60% being resistant to preventive antibiotics. This suggests the need for personalized infection prevention strategies based on patients' microbiome to improve outcomes.