Latest figures show level of health care-associated infections in acute hospitals
Health care-associated infections are experienced by 8.2 per cent of patients in acute hospitals in England, new figures show.
Results of a third national prevalence survey published last week by
the Hospital Infection Society show that the most common infections are
surgical site infections, gastrointestinal infections, urinary tract
infections and pneumonia. Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was present in 1.3 per cent of patients surveyed (0.2 per cent of patients
had an MRSA bacteraemia) and Clostridium difficile was seen in 2 per
cent of patients.
The survey, funded by the Department of Health, involved over 58,000
patients in 190 hospitals and was carried out between February and May
2006. A summary of the preliminary results can be accessed as a PDF file
(150K).
The first national prevalence survey, carried out in 1980 in 43 hospitals,
found that 9.2 per cent of patients had a health care-associated infection.
The second national survey, carried out in 1993–4
in 157 hospitals, suggested an infection rate of 9 per cent.
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