Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 2, 2025
Author Spotlight: Advancing Research on Candida albicans Biofilm-Associated Prosthetic Joint Infections
Published on: February 2, 2024
Device and surgical procedure-related infections in Canadian acute care hospitals, 2017-2021
Insights
Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) surveillance in Canada from 2017-2021 revealed increasing central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) in ICUs. However, surgical site infections (SSIs) after knee arthroplasty decreased during this period.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) pose a significant burden in Canadian healthcare settings.
- The Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program (CNISP) monitors HAIs in sentinel acute care hospitals.
- This study focuses on device- and surgical procedure-related HAIs from 2017 to 2021.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the epidemiology of device- and surgical procedure-related HAIs in Canada.
- To analyze trends in specific HAIs, including central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) and surgical site infections (SSIs).
- To report on pathogen distribution and antimicrobial resistance patterns.
Main Methods:
- Data were collected from over 60 Canadian sentinel acute care hospitals between 2017 and 2021.
- Surveillance included CLABSIs, hip and knee SSIs, cerebrospinal fluid shunt SSIs, and pediatric cardiac SSIs.
- Analysis encompassed case counts, rates, patient/hospital characteristics, pathogens, and antimicrobial resistance.
Main Results:
- A total of 2,898 device and surgical procedure-related infections were reported.
- CLABSIs in intensive care units (ICUs) constituted 69% of reported infections.
- Significant increases in adult mixed ICU CLABSIs were observed, while knee arthroplasty SSIs decreased; other HAIs showed no significant trend changes.
Conclusions:
- Monitoring epidemiological and microbiological trends of HAIs is crucial for national and international benchmarking.
- These data inform infection prevention and control strategies.
- Findings support the development of antimicrobial stewardship policies and programs.
Background:
Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a significant healthcare burden in Canada. National surveillance of HAIs at sentinel acute care hospitals is conducted by the Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program. This article describes device and surgical procedure-related HAI epidemiology in Canada from 2017 to 2021.
Methods:
Data were collected from over 60 Canadian sentinel acute care hospitals between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2021, for central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), hip and knee surgical site infections (SSIs), cerebrospinal fluid shunt SSIs and paediatric cardiac SSIs. Case counts, rates, patient and hospital characteristics, pathogen distributions and antimicrobial resistance data are presented.
Results:
Between 2017 and 2021, 2,898 device and surgical procedure-related infections were reported, with CLABSIs in intensive care units representing 69% (n=2,002) of all reported infections under surveillance. Significant rate increases were observed in adult mixed intensive care unit CLABSIs (1.08-2.11 infections per 1,000 line days, p=0.014) while decreases were observed in SSIs following knee arthroplasty (0.34-0.27 infections per 100 surgeries, p=0.05). No changes in trends were observed in the other reported HAIs. Of the 3,089 pathogens identified, the majority were gram-positive (66%), followed by gram negative (23%) and fungi (11%). Coagulase-negative staphylococci (22%) and Staphylococcus aureus (17%) were the most frequently isolated pathogens.
Conclusion:
Epidemiological and microbiological trends among select device and surgical procedure-related HAIs are essential for benchmarking infection rates nationally and internationally, identifying any changes in infection rates or antimicrobial resistance patterns and helping inform hospital infection prevention and control and antimicrobial stewardship policies and programs.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
01:26Healthcare Associated Infections I: Iatrogenic, Exogenic and Endogenic
HAIs significantly increase the cost of health care. Extended stays in healthcare institutions, increased disability, increased costs of medications, including specialized antibiotics, and prolonged recovery times add to the patient's expenses and the healthcare institution and funding bodies.
01:26Standard Precaution
Hand hygiene is the most crucial means to prevent the transmission of disease. Employers are legally required to provide their workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize exposure or contact with...
01:23Hand hygiene
Hand washing...
01:28Asepsis
01:30Cleaning, Sterilization, and Disinfection
Cleaning
The cleaning process usually involves using water with detergents or enzymatic cleaner and removing foreign material from objects and surfaces, including organic material such as body fluids or inorganic material like soil. Cleaning is performed before high-level disinfection and sterilization because foreign materials on the cover of the devices interfere with process...