title: A national point prevalence study on healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial use in Austria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The first point prevalence survey performed in Austria had the aim to assess the magnitude of healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobials use in the country.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multicentre study was carried out from May until June 2012 in nine acute care hospitals with a mean bed number of 620. Data from 4321 patients' clinical charts were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall healthcare-associated infections prevalence was 6.2% (268/4321) with the highest rate in intensive care departments (20.9%; 49/234). In medical and surgical departments the healthcare-associated infections prevalence was 5.4% (95/1745) and 6.6% (105/1586), respectively. The most frequent healthcare-associated infections were: urinary tract infections (21.3%; 61/287), pneumonia (20.6%; 59/287) and surgical site infections (17.4%; 50/287). The most common isolated microorganisms were: Escherichia coli (14.8%; 26/176), Enterococcus species (13.1%; 23/176) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (11.4%; 20/176). Thirty-three per cent (1425/4321) of the patients received antimicrobials because of community-acquired infections treatment (14.2%; 615/4321), healthcare-associated infections treatment (6.4%; 278/4321), and surgical (8.2%; 354/4321) and medical prophylaxis (3.2%; 138/4321). Surgical prophylaxis was the indication for 22.0% (394/1792) of the overall prescriptions and was prolonged for more than 1 day in 77.2% (304/394) of the cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The national Austrian survey proved the feasibility of a nation-wide network of surveillance of both healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial use that will be repeated in the future. Healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial use have been confirmed to be a grave health problem. The excessive prolongation of perioperative prophylaxis in Austria needs to be limited.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control, Vienna General Hospital, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Segagni Lusignani
authors.affiliation: VAMED Hospital Management, Sterilization and Disinfection, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blacky
authors.affiliation: Department of Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control, Vienna General Hospital, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Starzengruber
authors.affiliation: Department of Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control, Vienna General Hospital, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria. magda.diab-elschahawi@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: Magda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Diab-Elschahawi
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Statistics, Informatics and Intelligent Systems, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wrba
authors.affiliation: Department of Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control, Vienna General Hospital, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Presterl
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001317:Austria; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents
keywords: Acute care hospitals; Antimicrobials; Healthcare-associated infections; Point prevalence; Surveillance
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