Between 2016 and 2017, healthcare-associated infections decreased in the United States, according to the most recent National and State HAI Progress Report from the CDC.
The report includes a summary of rates for select HAIs across four settings: acute care hospitals, critical access hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities and long-term acute care hospitals.
Key findings from the report include:
1. Central line-associated bloodstream infections saw a 9 percent decrease, with the largest decrease occurring in hospital wards.
2. Catheter-associated urinary tract infections dropped by 5 percent, with ICUs showing the largest decrease of 8 percent.
3. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia declined by 8 percent and Clostridioides difficile events reduced by 13 percent.
4. Ventilator-associated events and surgical site infections both decreased, by 3 percent and 1 percent respectively. The decrease in SSIs was related to 10 procedures tracked in the report.
5. There were no significant decreases or increases in abdominal hysterectomy SSIs and colon surgery SSIs.