<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><sec id="j_sjph-2019-0008_s_007_w2aab3b7b2b1b6b1aab1c18b1Aa"><h3>Introduction</h3><p>In the third 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 factors associated with them.</p></sec><sec id="j_sjph-2019-0008_s_008_w2aab3b7b2b1b6b1aab1c18b2Aa"><h3>Methods</h3><p>Patients were enrolled into a one-day cross-sectional study in November 2017. 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-2019-0008_s_009_w2aab3b7b2b1b6b1aab1c18b3Aa"><h3>Results</h3><p>Among 5,743 patients, 4.4% had at least one HAI and an additional 2.2% were still treated for HAIs on the day of the survey, with a prevalence of HAIs of 6.6%. The prevalence of pneumoniae was the highest (1.8%), followed by surgical site infections (1.5%) and urinary tract infections (1.2%). Prevalence of blood stream infections was 0.3%. In intensive care units (ICUs), the prevalence of patients with at least one HAI was 30.6%. Factors associated with HAIs included central vascular catheter (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.1; 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 3.1–5.4), peripheral vascular catheter (aOR 3.0; 95% CI: 2.3–3.9), urinary catheter (aOR 1.8; 95% CI: 1.4–2.3).</p></sec><sec id="j_sjph-2019-0008_s_010_w2aab3b7b2b1b6b1aab1c18b4Aa"><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>The prevalence of HAIs in Slovenian acute care hospitals in 2017 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 third 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 factors associated with them.MethodsPatients were enrolled into a one-day cross-sectional study in November 2017. 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 5,743 patients, 4.4% had at least one HAI and an additional 2.2% were still treated for HAIs on the day of the survey, with a prevalence of HAIs of 6.6%. The prevalence of pneumoniae was the highest (1.8%), followed by surgical site infections (1.5%) and urinary tract infections (1.2%). Prevalence of blood stream infections was 0.3%. In intensive care units (ICUs), the prevalence of patients with at least one HAI was 30.6%. Factors associated with HAIs included central vascular catheter (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.1; 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 3.1–5.4), peripheral vascular catheter (aOR 3.0; 95% CI: 2.3–3.9), urinary catheter (aOR 1.8; 95% CI: 1.4–2.3).ConclusionsThe prevalence of HAIs in Slovenian acute care hospitals in 2017 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.

Prevalence of and factors associated with healthcare-associated infections in Slovenian acute care hospitals: Results of the third national survey

Slovenian Journal of Public Health

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

Prevalenca in dejavniki, povezani z bolnišničnimi okužbami v Slovenskih bolnišnicah za akutno oskrbo: Rezultati tretje nacionalne presečne raziskave

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

Prevalence of and factors associated with healthcare-associated infections in Slovenian acute care hospitals: Results of the third national survey

Article Category: Original scientific article

Published Online: Mar 26, 2019

Page range: 62 - 69

Received: Sep 14, 2018

Accepted: Mar 06, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2019-0008

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

© 2019 National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia

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

Prevalence of and factors associated with healthcare-associated infections in Slovenian acute care hospitals: Results of the third national survey

Article Category: Original scientific article

Published Online: Mar 26, 2019

Page range: 62 - 69

Received: Sep 14, 2018

Accepted: Mar 06, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2019-0008

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

© 2019 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