Major HAIs Decline, but Antibiotic Resistance Remains Problematic

Updated infection control guidelines released by the CDC in February indicate hospitals are making strides to prevent common infections.

According to updated statistics from the CDC, central- line bloodstream infections (CLABSI) saw an 8% decline from 2013 to 2014, 50% below the national baseline. Hospital-acquired MRSA infections saw a 4% decline from 2013 to 2014, 13% below the national baseline.

Although several other infections fluctuated between 2013 and 2014, many were still well below the national baseline. C. difficile infections, for example, increased 4% between 2013 and 2014, but remained 8% below baseline. Reductions in surgical site infections (SSI) were statistically insignificant over the course of a year, but still remained 17% below baseline.

Although catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) saw a 5% decline in 2014, CAUTI infections remained even with the baseline established in 2009 thanks to increases in over the previous two years. In a press release, CDC officials also warned that antibiotic-resistant bacteria continue to impact hospitals, with one in six CLABSIs caused by resistant bacteria and one in seven SSIs linked to resistance. The CDC recommends hospitals prevent bacteria transmission between patients, prevent infections related to surgery and/or placement of a catheter, and improve antibiotic use through stewardship.

“For clinicians, prevention means isolating patients when necessary,” Clifford McDonald, MD, associate director for science at CDC’s Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, said in the release. “It also means being aware of antibiotic resistance patterns in your facilities, following recommendations for preventing infections that can occur after surgery or from central lines and catheters placed in the body, and prescribing antibiotics correctly.”

For more, read the CDC report (www.cdc.gov/hai/surveillance/progress-report/index.html) and the CDC’s press release (www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p0303-superbugs.html).

This originally appeared May issue of the Patient Safety Monitor. Find out more about the journal, its benefits, and how to subscribe by clicking here.