Healthcare-associated Infections (HAIs)

Data and Statistics

Antimicrobial Use Prevalence Survey

Results of a multistate, acute care hospital antimicrobial-drug use prevalence survey are now available: Prevalence of Antimicrobial Use in US Acute Care Hospitals, May-September 2011. The purpose of this survey was to determine the prevalence of inpatient antimicrobial-drug use, the most common antimicrobial drug types, and the reasons for their use. The Digital News Release contains video links and resources on this publication. Additional information about the Emerging Infections Program Healthcare-Associated Infection and Antibiotic Use Prevalence Survey can be found at: http://www.cdc.gov/hai/eip/antibiotic-use.html.

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HAI Prevalence Survey

The CDC healthcare-associated infection (HAI) prevalence survey provides an updated national estimate of the overall problem of HAIs in U.S. hospitals. Based on a large sample of U.S. acute care hospitals, the survey found that on any given day, about 1 in 25 hospital patients has at least one healthcare-associated infection. There were an estimated 722,000 HAIs in U.S acute care hospitals in 2011. About 75,000 hospital patients with HAIs died during their hospitalizations. More than half of all HAIs occurred outside of the intensive care unit.

Estimates of Healthcare-Associated Infections Occurring in Acute Care Hospitals in the United States, 2011

Major Site of Infection	Estimated No.
Pneumonia	157,500
Gastrointestinal Illness	123,100
Urinary Tract Infections	93,300
Primary Bloodstream Infections	71,900
Surgical site infections from any inpatient surgery	157,500
Other types of infections	118,500
Estimated total number of infections in hospitals	721,800

To read the full report, please visit: CDC HAI Prevalence Survey
Magill SS, Edwards JR, Bamberg W, et al. Multistate Point-Prevalence Survey of Health Care–Associated Infections. N Engl J Med 2014;370:1198-208.

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HAI Progress Report

The CDC National and State Healthcare-Associated Infections Progress Report is a report that gives a closer look at the healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) most commonly reported to CDC using the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). This is an annual report that describes national and state progress in preventing central line-associated bloodstream infections, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, surgical site infections after colon surgery and surgical site infections after abdominal hysterectomy. The report is based on 2012 data.

Estimates of Selected* Healthcare-Associated Infections Occurring in Acute Care Hospitals, 2011± or 2012†

Type of Healthcare-Associated Infection	Estimated No.
Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (wards and critical care units)	54,500†
Central line-associated bloodstream infections (wards and critical care units)	30,100†
Surgical Site Infections associated with 10 surgical procedures	53,700†
Hospital-onset Clostridium difficile infections (all hospital locations)	107,700±

* Infections closely tied to performance measures reported as part of the CMS Hospital Quality Reporting Program

To read the full report, please visit: National and State Healthcare-Associated Infections Progress Report 2012

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Previous Estimates of HAIs

Additional reports can be found at on the NHSN Data & Statistics page.

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Monitoring HAIs

CDC receives data on healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) through parallel efforts.

National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN)

NHSN is the largest health care-associated infection reporting system in the United States; over 13,000 healthcare facilities participate.

NHSN Reports provide:

NHSN National HAI Reports – where the nation stands in efforts to prevent HAIs
National and State HAI Progress Reports – where states stand in HAI prevention efforts
Local NHSN information – individual facility progress in HAI prevention