HAIs in kids are most common among infants, study shows

Data from hospitals in 29 European countries suggest that healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) reported in children occur most often in infants younger than 12 months of age.

And the prevalence of infection is highest for children in intensive care units (ICUs).

Walter Zingg, MD, of Imperial College London in the UK, and his colleagues conducted this research and detailed the results in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

The researchers analyzed data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) point prevalence survey of HAIs and antimicrobial use in European acute care hospitals.

The data encompassed 17,273 children and adolescents (ages 0 to 18) treated at 1149 hospitals in 29 European countries* from May 2011 to November 2012.

During that time, there were 770 infections reported in 726 children and adolescents.

The researchers found that most HAIs (77%) occurred in infants younger than 12 months. And the prevalence of infections was highest in pediatric ICUs and neonatal ICUs—15.5% and 10.7%, respectively.

Bloodstream infections were the most common type (45%), followed by lower respiratory tract infections (22%); gastrointestinal infections (8%); eye, ear, nose, and throat infections (7%); urinary tract infections (5%); and surgical-site infections (4%).

Analyses suggested that independent risk factors for infection included being younger than 12 months, having a fatal disease, a prolonged length of hospital stay, and receiving treatment with invasive medical devices.

The researchers said a pan-European program is urgently needed to prevent and reduce the unacceptably high rates of HAIs in children in Europe, with a focus in neonatal and pediatric ICUs and addressing the issues related to healthcare-associated bloodstream infections.

The team said this is the largest multinational study describing HAIs in children thus far.

A second point prevalence survey is ongoing in Europe, and its results are expected to be published by the ECDC after 2017.

*Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and the UK.

Data from hospitals in 29 European countries suggest that healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) reported in children occur most often in infants younger than 12 months of age.

And the prevalence of infection is highest for children in intensive care units (ICUs).

Walter Zingg, MD, of Imperial College London in the UK, and his colleagues conducted this research and detailed the results in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

The researchers analyzed data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) point prevalence survey of HAIs and antimicrobial use in European acute care hospitals.

The data encompassed 17,273 children and adolescents (ages 0 to 18) treated at 1149 hospitals in 29 European countries* from May 2011 to November 2012.

During that time, there were 770 infections reported in 726 children and adolescents.

The researchers found that most HAIs (77%) occurred in infants younger than 12 months. And the prevalence of infections was highest in pediatric ICUs and neonatal ICUs—15.5% and 10.7%, respectively.

Bloodstream infections were the most common type (45%), followed by lower respiratory tract infections (22%); gastrointestinal infections (8%); eye, ear, nose, and throat infections (7%); urinary tract infections (5%); and surgical-site infections (4%).

Analyses suggested that independent risk factors for infection included being younger than 12 months, having a fatal disease, a prolonged length of hospital stay, and receiving treatment with invasive medical devices.

The researchers said a pan-European program is urgently needed to prevent and reduce the unacceptably high rates of HAIs in children in Europe, with a focus in neonatal and pediatric ICUs and addressing the issues related to healthcare-associated bloodstream infections.

The team said this is the largest multinational study describing HAIs in children thus far.

A second point prevalence survey is ongoing in Europe, and its results are expected to be published by the ECDC after 2017.

*Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and the UK.

Data from hospitals in 29 European countries suggest that healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) reported in children occur most often in infants younger than 12 months of age.

And the prevalence of infection is highest for children in intensive care units (ICUs).

Walter Zingg, MD, of Imperial College London in the UK, and his colleagues conducted this research and detailed the results in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

The researchers analyzed data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) point prevalence survey of HAIs and antimicrobial use in European acute care hospitals.

The data encompassed 17,273 children and adolescents (ages 0 to 18) treated at 1149 hospitals in 29 European countries* from May 2011 to November 2012.

During that time, there were 770 infections reported in 726 children and adolescents.

The researchers found that most HAIs (77%) occurred in infants younger than 12 months. And the prevalence of infections was highest in pediatric ICUs and neonatal ICUs—15.5% and 10.7%, respectively.

Bloodstream infections were the most common type (45%), followed by lower respiratory tract infections (22%); gastrointestinal infections (8%); eye, ear, nose, and throat infections (7%); urinary tract infections (5%); and surgical-site infections (4%).

Analyses suggested that independent risk factors for infection included being younger than 12 months, having a fatal disease, a prolonged length of hospital stay, and receiving treatment with invasive medical devices.

The researchers said a pan-European program is urgently needed to prevent and reduce the unacceptably high rates of HAIs in children in Europe, with a focus in neonatal and pediatric ICUs and addressing the issues related to healthcare-associated bloodstream infections.

The team said this is the largest multinational study describing HAIs in children thus far.

A second point prevalence survey is ongoing in Europe, and its results are expected to be published by the ECDC after 2017.

*Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and the UK.