[Burden of healthcare-associated infections in outpatient care]

There is little evidence on healthcare-associated infections in outpatient care. The Swiss Federal Office for Public Health commissioned a systematic review to estimate the incidence of healthcare-associated infections in non-institutional settings. A total of 126 papers were eligible for data abstraction. The identified reports and studies were heterogeneous and generally of low quality. The main outcomes were surgical site infections, central venous catheter-related bloodstream infections, and urinary tract infections. While no comparison to inpatients was possible for surgical site infection, the incidence of urinary tract infection and central venous catheter-related bloodstream infection in haemodialysis and home intravenous therapy was similar to the incidence of these infections observed in acute care settings.