Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 9, 2026
Development of Multiplex Real-Time RT-qPCR Assays for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2, Influenza A/B, and MERS-CoV
Published on: November 10, 2023
Global prevalence and determinants of hospital-acquired COVID-19: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis
Noach Leon Ribaric1,2,3, Zixue O'Neill-Byrne3,4, Achim Hellinger5
1Faculty of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Introduction:
A proportion of patients hospitalised for COVID-19 acquire the disease during their hospital stay, underscoring the risk of hospital-acquired COVID-19 (HA-COVID-19). This risk is presumed to be high, given how commonly and intensely air and surfaces within hospitals are reportedly contaminated with SARS-CoV-2. However, the true extent of HA-COVID-19 worldwide remains unknown, with limited understanding of factors that influence its occurrence and how these have evolved over time. This review will therefore aim to estimate the pooled prevalence of HA-COVID-19 among hospitalised COVID-19 patients globally and investigate differences by country, type of hospitals, medical specialty, length and timing of studied periods.
Methods And Analysis:
A systematic review and meta-analysis will be conducted adhering to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. MEDLINE and PubMed Central (via PubMed), Scopus, Embase (via Ovid), the Web of Science Core Collection as well as websites of public health agencies (PHA) will be searched until 1 July 2026. All journal articles and sources from PHAs reporting any primary data on the prevalence of HA-COVID-19 will be included. Methodological quality will be assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Studies Reporting Prevalence Data. The primary outcome will be the global prevalence of HA-COVID-19. Data synthesis will include random-effects proportional meta-analysis. Estimates will be presented with two-sided 95% CIs and heterogeneity assessed using the I² statistic.
Ethics And Dissemination:
Ethical approval is not needed as no original data will be generated. This review will be published in an international, peer-reviewed journal.
Prospero Registration Number:
CRD420251136884.
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. Common...
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...
01:26Standard 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...
01:20Infection
The chain begins with pathogens: bacteria, viruses, fungi, prions, or parasites such as protozoa helminths. These can be present on the skin as transient or resident flora, or they can be acquired from the environment. Identifying and treating the type of infection and...
01:29Pneumonia I: Introduction