Nosocomial infection surveillance and control activities in Spain under HELICS and NosoMed programs frame

Since the 1980s, a number of multi-center studies for the surveillance of nosocomial infections have been developed in Spain. The first of them, EPINE (study on the prevalence of nosocomial infections in Spain), was followed by two incidence-based surveillance systems: ENVIN-UCI, for intensive care units, and PREVINE, applicable to a broader range of hospital areas. These surveillance systems have made it possible for Spain to participate in two European projects, namely HELICS and NosoMed. It is expected that the European countries participating in these projects will have substantial returns in terms of better prevention and control of health care-related infections.