Hospital acquired infections were on the rise in 2021, says CDC

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Several healthcare acquired infections (HAIs), such as central line-associated bloodstream infections and ventilator events, showed increased prevalence in 2021, according to new data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Four of six common infections increased over 2020, with the biggest increase occurring with Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which showed a 14% year-over-year increase. 

Following that were ventilator-associated events (VAEs) at 12%; central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) at 7%; and catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIS) at 5%.

WHAT’S THE IMPACT

Each day, about one in 31 U.S. patients and one in 43 nursing home residents contract at least one infection linked to their healthcare – underscoring the need for improvements in patient care practices in U.S. healthcare facilities, the CDC said. While much progress has been made, more needs to be done to prevent healthcare-associated infections in a variety of settings, according to the agency.

Part of the reason for the uptick in infections, the CDC said, was the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which impacted surveillance for and incidence of HAIs. Compared to pre-pandemic years, hospitals across the nation experienced higher than usual hospitalizations and shortages in healthcare personnel and equipment, which may have resulted in deterioration in multiple patient safety metrics since the beginning of the pandemic.

Overall, there were no significant changes in surgical site infections (SSI) related to 10 select Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP) procedures tracked in the report between 2020 and 2021, though there was an 11% increase in abdominal hysterectomy SSIs. There were no significant changes in colon surgery SSIs.

There was a 3% decrease in hospital onset C. difficile infections between 2020 and 2021, data showed.

At the state level, three states performed better on at least two infection types, though no state performed better on at least three infection types. Nine states performed worse on two or more infection types; of these, six performed worse on at least three, while three performed worse on at least four.

THE LARGER TREND

Hospital-acquired infections have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a September 2021 CDC analysis. 

Increases were attributed to factors including more and sicker patients requiring more frequent and longer use of catheters and ventilators, as well as staffing and supply challenges.

With dramatic increases in the frequency and duration of ventilator use, rates of ventilator-associated infections increased by 45% in the fourth quarter of 2020, compared to 2019. The analysis found sharp increases in standardized infection rates, indicating that the increases were not simply a reflection of more devices being used.

From 2019 to 2020, major increases were also found in catheter-associated urinary tract infections, ventilator-associated events and antibiotic-resistant staph infections.
 

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