Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 10, 2026
Human Internal Mammary Artery IMA Transplantation and Stenting: A Human Model to Study the Development of In-Stent Restenosis
Published on: May 9, 2012
Decrease in healthcare-associated infection rates in preterm infants-longitudinal data from 15 years of nationwide
Ferenc Darius Ruether1,2, Frank Schwab1,2, Gizem Karadağ1,2
1Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlinhttps://ror.org/001w7jn25, Berlin, Germany.
Insights
Nationwide surveillance of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) in preterm infants using NEO-KISS in Germany showed significant reductions in sepsis, pneumonia, and necrotizing enterocolitis rates between 2008 and 2022.
Area of Science:
- Neonatalogy
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology
- Public Health Surveillance
Background:
- Preterm infants are highly susceptible to healthcare-associated infections (HAI).
- Nationwide HAI surveillance systems are crucial for monitoring and reducing infections in high-risk neonatal populations.
- The NEO-KISS system was implemented in Germany to track HAI in neonates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present healthcare-associated infection (HAI) rates in high-risk neonates following the nationwide implementation of the NEO-KISS surveillance system in Germany.
- To identify risk factors associated with the development of HAI in this vulnerable population.
- To analyze trends in HAI incidence densities over time.
Main Methods:
- An observational study analyzing retrospective data from the NEO-KISS system (2008-2022).
- Inclusion criteria: Infants with a birth weight < 1500 g.
- Incidence densities for healthcare-associated sepsis (HAS), healthcare-associated pneumonia (HAP), and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) were calculated and analyzed using Cox-proportional hazard regression.
Main Results:
- Data from 118,214 infants across 251 neonatology departments were analyzed.
- Incidence densities of HAS and HAP decreased significantly between 2008-2012 and 2018-2022 (e.g., HAS decreased by 33.3%, HAP by 46.7%).
- The period of admission remained a significant factor for HAS, HAP, and NEC in multivariable regression analysis.
Conclusions:
- The NEO-KISS surveillance data from 2008-2022 indicates a nationwide reduction in incidence densities of HAS, HAP, and NEC among high-risk neonates in Germany.
- Continuous engagement with and utilization of surveillance data from NEO-KISS likely contributed to these observed reductions in HAI.
- Effective surveillance systems are vital for improving outcomes in neonatal intensive care.
Objective:
Although preterm infants are prone to healthcare-associated infections (HAI), HAI surveillance in neonates is still not widely practiced. In this paper, we present the HAI rates subsequent to nationwide implementation of NEO-KISS, the German national surveillance system for HAI in high-risk neonates. We also report on risk factors for the development of HAI in this population.
Design:
Observational study.
Setting:
German National Reference Centre for Surveillance of Nosocomial Infections, responsible for the maintenance of NEO-KISS.
Patients:
Infants with a birth weight of less than 1500 g.
Methods:
NEO-KISS data from the years 2008-2022 was analyzed retrospectively and incidence densities were calculated (in five-year reference periods) for different types of healthcare-associated sepsis (HAS), healthcare-associated pneumonia (HAP), and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Rates were analyzed with Cox-proportional hazard regression models.
Results:
A total of 118,214 infants with a birth weight of less than 1500 g from 251 neonatology departments were included. They comprised 15,254 HAS, 1,657 HAP, and 2,786 NEC. The incidence densities of HAS and HAP were 33.3% and 46.7% lower in the admission period 2018-2022 compared to 2008-2012 (2.98 vs. 4.47 HAS, 0.3 vs. 0.56 HAP, per 1,000 patient days). In the multivariable regression analysis, the period of admission remained significant after adjustment for independent risk factors for HAS, HAP, and NEC.
Conclusions:
In Germany, the surveillance data for neonates in NEO-KISS between 2008 and 2022 showed a nationwide decrease in incidence densities of HAS, HAP, and NEC. The continuous engagement with NEO-KISS surveillance data may have contributed to this reduction.
More Related Videos
19:45Expansion of Embryonic and Adult Neural Stem Cells by In Utero Electroporation or Viral Stereotaxic Injection
Published on: October 6, 2012
07:46Bilateral Common Carotid Artery Occlusion as an Adequate Preconditioning Stimulus to Induce Early Ischemic Tolerance to Focal Cerebral Ischemia
Published on: May 9, 2013
Related Concept Videos
01:26Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin create...
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. Common...
01:22Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
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...
01:30Development of Human Microbiota
01:28Development of the Oral Microbiota