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. 2019 Aug;24(32):1800603.
doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2019.24.32.1800603.

National point prevalence survey on healthcare-associated infections in acute care hospitals, Switzerland, 2017

Walter Zingg  1   2 , Aliki Metsini  1   2 , Carlo Balmelli  3 , Dionysios Neofytos  1 , Michael Behnke  4 , Céline Gardiol  5 , Andreas Widmer  6 , Didier Pittet  1 ; Swissnoso Network  7
Affiliations

National point prevalence survey on healthcare-associated infections in acute care hospitals, Switzerland, 2017

Walter Zingg et al. Euro Surveill. 2019 Aug.

Abstract

BackgroundAs a part of the national strategy on the prevention of healthcare-associated infections (HAI), a point prevalence survey (PPS) was conducted in acute care hospitals in Switzerland.AimOur objective was to assess the burden of HAI in Swiss acute care hospitals.MethodsAll acute care hospitals were invited to participate in this cross-sectional survey during the second quarter of 2017. The protocol by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control was applied. Patients of all ages, hospitalised on the day of survey were included, except when admitted to outpatient clinics, emergency and psychiatry.ResultsNinety-six acute care hospitals (79% of all hospitals ≥ 100 beds) provided data on 12,931 patients. Pooled and randomised HAI prevalences were 5.9% (95% confidence interval (CI): 5.5-6.3) and 5.4% (95% CI: 4.8-6.0), respectively. The HAI incidence was estimated at 4.5 (95% CI: 4.0-5.0). The most common type of HAI was surgical site infection (29.0%), followed by lower respiratory tract (18.2%), urinary tract (14.9%) and bloodstream (12.8%) infections. The highest prevalence was identified in intensive care (20.6%), in large hospitals > 650 beds (7.8%), among elderly patients (7.4%), male patients (7.2%) and patients with an ultimately (9.3%) or rapidly (10.6%) fatal McCabe score.DiscussionThis is the first national PPS of Switzerland allowing direct comparison with other European countries. The HAI prevalence was at European Union average (5.9% in 2016 and 2017), but higher than in some countries neighbouring Switzerland. Based on the limited information from previous surveys, HAI appear not to decrease.

Keywords: ECDC; Point prevalence Survey; Swissnoso; Switzerland; acute care; healthcare-associated infection.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest in the context of the content of this manuscript.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Prevalence of healthcare-associated infections, stratified by hospital risk factors, Switzerland, 2017 (n = 765)
Figure 2
Figure 2
Prevalence of healthcare-associated infections, stratified by ward type, Switzerland, 2017 (n = 765)
Figure 3
Figure 3
Distribution of healthcare-associated infections, stratified by hospital size, Switzerland, 2017 (n =835)
Figure 4
Figure 4
Prevalence of device-associated and surgical site infections, Switzerland, 2017 (n = 190)
Figure 5
Figure 5
Prevalence of patients with healthcare-associated infections in the Swiss and the ECDC point prevalence surveys combined
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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