Question

The infection that develops in admitted patients after more than 48 hours of hospitalization is termed as ____________ infection.

• A. Cytotoxic
• B. Comprehensive
• C. Nosocomial
• D. Community

Hint:

Remember the time window: If symptoms of an infection start \textbf{within 48 hours} of admission, it's likely community-acquired. If they start \textbf{after 48 hours}, it's likely hospital-acquired (nosocomial).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Analyze the definition provided. Step 1: The key criteria are:

It is an infection.
It develops in a patient *after* admission to a hospital.
A time frame of "> 48 hours" is given to exclude infections that were already incubating at the time of admission.
Step 2: Define the term "Nosocomial infection".
Step 2: A nosocomial infection, also known as a hospital-acquired infection (HAI), is an infection contracted in a hospital or other healthcare facility that was not present or incubating at the time of the patient's admission. The 48-hour rule is a standard epidemiological criterion used to define these infections.
Step 3: Evaluate the options.
Step 3: "Nosocomial" is the precise medical term for this phenomenon. "Community-acquired infection" is the opposite—an infection acquired outside of a healthcare setting. "Cytotoxic" means toxic to cells, and "Comprehensive" is irrelevant.