These bacteria are most often spread patient to patient in healthcare settings through direct contact with infected or colonized patients (people who carry the bacteria and can spread it, but do not have symptoms), particularly contact with skin, wounds, or stool. CRA can live on environmental surfaces for long periods of time and can spread through frequently touched surfaces and shared equipment if they are not cleaned and disinfected properly. They can cause infections when they enter the body, often through medical devices such as intravenous catheters, urinary catheters, through wounds caused by injury and surgery, or exposure in the environment. People most at risk include patients in healthcare facilities, especially those who:
- Are on breathing machines (ventilators)
- Have devices such as catheters
- Have open wounds from surgery
- Are hospitalized in intensive care units (ICUs)
- Have prolonged hospital stays
To reduce the chance of spread or transmission, healthcare staff should:
- Practice proper hand hygiene
- Before and after caring for wounds or touching a medical device
- Before and after touching the patient or handling medical devices,
- Rigorous environmental cleaning (e.g., clean patient rooms and shared equipment), to reduce the risk of spreading these germs to patients.