<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><sec id="j_sjph-2016-0033_s_101_w2aab2b8b6b1b7b1aab1c15b1Aa"><h3>Introduction</h3><p>In the second Slovenian national healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) prevalence survey, conducted within the European point prevalence survey of HAIs and antimicrobial use in acute-care hospitals, we estimated the prevalence of all types of HAIs and identified risk factors.</p></sec><sec id="j_sjph-2016-0033_s_102_w2aab2b8b6b1b7b1aab1c15b2Aa"><h3>Methods</h3><p>Patients from acute-care hospitals were enrolled into a one-day cross-sectional study in October 2011. Descriptive analyses were performed to describe the characteristics of patients, their exposure to invasive procedures and the prevalence of different types of HAIs. Univariate and multivariate analyses of association of having at least one HAI with possible risk factors were performed to identify risk factors.</p></sec><sec id="j_sjph-2016-0033_s_103_w2aab2b8b6b1b7b1aab1c15b3Aa"><h3>Results</h3><p>Among 5628 patients, 3.8% had at least one HAI and additional 2.6% were still being treated for HAIs on the day of the survey; the prevalence of HAIs was 6.4%. The prevalence of urinary tract infections was the highest (1.4%), followed by pneumoniae (1.3%) and surgical site infections (1.2%). In intensive care units (ICUs), the prevalence of patients with at least one HAI was 35.7%. Risk factors for HAIs included central vascular catheter (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 4.0; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 2.9-5.7), peripheral vascular catheter (aOR 2.0; 95% CI: 1.5-2.6), intubation (aOR 2.3; 95% CI: 1.4-3.5) and rapidly fatal underlying condition (aOR 2.1; 95% CI: 1.4-3.3).</p></sec><sec id="j_sjph-2016-0033_s_104_w2aab2b8b6b1b7b1aab1c15b4Aa"><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>The prevalence of HAIs in Slovenian acute-care hospitals in 2011 was substantial, especially in ICUs. HAIs prevention and control is an important public health priority. National surveillance of HAIs in ICUs should be developed to support evidence-based prevention and control.</p></sec></abstract>

IntroductionIn the second Slovenian national healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) prevalence survey, conducted within the European point prevalence survey of HAIs and antimicrobial use in acute-care hospitals, we estimated the prevalence of all types of HAIs and identified risk factors.MethodsPatients from acute-care hospitals were enrolled into a one-day cross-sectional study in October 2011. Descriptive analyses were performed to describe the characteristics of patients, their exposure to invasive procedures and the prevalence of different types of HAIs. Univariate and multivariate analyses of association of having at least one HAI with possible risk factors were performed to identify risk factors.ResultsAmong 5628 patients, 3.8% had at least one HAI and additional 2.6% were still being treated for HAIs on the day of the survey; the prevalence of HAIs was 6.4%. The prevalence of urinary tract infections was the highest (1.4%), followed by pneumoniae (1.3%) and surgical site infections (1.2%). In intensive care units (ICUs), the prevalence of patients with at least one HAI was 35.7%. Risk factors for HAIs included central vascular catheter (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 4.0; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 2.9-5.7), peripheral vascular catheter (aOR 2.0; 95% CI: 1.5-2.6), intubation (aOR 2.3; 95% CI: 1.4-3.5) and rapidly fatal underlying condition (aOR 2.1; 95% CI: 1.4-3.3).ConclusionsThe prevalence of HAIs in Slovenian acute-care hospitals in 2011 was substantial, especially in ICUs. HAIs prevention and control is an important public health priority. National surveillance of HAIs in ICUs should be developed to support evidence-based prevention and control.

The prevalence of and risk factors for healthcare-associated infections in Slovenia: results of the second national survey

National Institute of Public Health, Trubarjeva 2, 1000 Ljubljana,

University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Department of Infectious Diseases, Japljeva 2, 1000 Ljubljana,

University Medical Centre Maribor, Department of Infectious Diseases and Febrile Conditions, Ljubljanska cesta 5, 2000 Maribor,

Members of the SNHPS Network are listed at the end of the article,

Slovenian Journal of Public Health

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Prevalenca in dejavniki tveganja za bolnišnične okužbe v Sloveniji: rezultati druge nacionalne presečne raziskave

IntroductionIn the second Slovenian national healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) prevalence survey, conducted within the European point prevalence survey...

The prevalence of and risk factors for healthcare-associated infections in Slovenia: results of the second national survey

Article Category: Research article

Published Online: Jul 28, 2016

Page range: 239 - 247

Received: Apr 01, 2016

Accepted: May 10, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sjph-2016-0033

Keywords
healthcare-associated infections, prevalence, survey, risk factors, Slovenia

© National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

The prevalence of and risk factors for healthcare-associated infections in Slovenia: results of the second national survey

Article Category: Research article

Published Online: Jul 28, 2016

Page range: 239 - 247

Received: Apr 01, 2016

Accepted: May 10, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sjph-2016-0033

Keywordshealthcare-associated infections, prevalence, survey, risk factors, Slovenia

© National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
healthcare-associated infections, prevalence, survey, risk factors, Slovenia