According to the most recent comprehensive survey, the prevalence of hospital-associated infections (HAI) is 7.4% in hospitals, although it can be nearly three times higher in certain healthcare institutions, reports RTE.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) conducted the Point Prevalence Survey of infections linked to healthcare in May 2023. Similar studies were conducted in other European nations.
All acute hospitals in Ireland—fifty public and fifteen private—participated, and the Health Protection Surveillance Centre made the findings accessible, reports RTE.
Sixty-two of the 12,587 patients who were assessed that month had current hospital-associated infections, and eighteen of them had two or more.
This indicates that 7.4% of patients had these kinds of illnesses.
This is higher than the 6.1% found in the 2017 study, though.
This is due to the fact that infections resulting from Covid-19 and those that start in long-term care institutions are now included in the study, whereas they were not included previously, reports RTE.
Pneumonia accounted for 27% of hospital-associated infections, urinary tract infections for 15%, and surgical site infections for 14%.
Covid-19 was responsible for 8% of these illnesses.
According to the ECDC, Ireland sees around 44,000 cases of HAIs annually.
According to the study results, two hospitals had a prevalence of more than 20%, reports RTE.
Roscommon University Hospital is at 21.7%, and Bantry General Hospital is at 26.1%.
Others with a rate over 10% were:
- Blackrock Health Blackrock Clinic – 10.1%
- Croom Orthopaedic Hospital – 12.5%
- Galway University Hospital – 11.4%
- Kilcreene Regional Orthopaedic Hospital, Kilkenny – 13%
- Naas General Hospital – 12.4%
- Cork University Hospital – 12%
- Portiuncula University Hospital, Ballinasloe – 12.3%
- St Luke’s General Hospital, Kilkenny – 10.3%
- University Hospital Limerick – 11%
The hospitals with a 0% rate included:
- Bon Secours Hospital in Co Limerick and Tralee,
- Mater Private, Co Cork
- Aut Even Hospital, Co Kilkenny
- Whitfield Hospital, Co Waterford
- University Hospital, Ennis, Co Clare
- St Luke’s Hospital, Rathgar, Dublin
- St Michael’s Hospital, Dún Laoghaire
- Children’s Health Ireland, Tallaght
Hospitals with a low infection rate include:
- Bon Secours, Co Galway – 2.7%
- Beacon Hospital, Sandyford – 3.3%
- Bon Secours, Glasnevin – 3.2%
- Cavan General Hospital – 3.8%,
- Children’s Health Ireland, Temple Street – 2.2%
- Louth County Hospital – Dundalk at 3.7%
- Mater Private Hospital, Dublin – 2.5%
- Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise – 1%
- University Maternity Hospital, Limerick – 2.2%
- Wexford General Hospital – 2.3%
- National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street – 2.8%
- St Columcille’s Hospital, Loughlinstown – 2.3%
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