title: Key priorities in the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infection: a survey of European and other international infection prevention experts.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Prevention and control of healthcare-associated infection (HCAI) are important within and beyond Europe. However, it is unclear which areas are considered important by HCAI prevention and control professionals. This study assesses the priorities in the prevention and control of HCAI as judged by experts in the field.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey was conducted by the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases focussing on seven topics using SurveyMonkey®. Through a newsletter distributed by email, about 5000 individuals were targeted throughout the world in February and March 2013. Participants were asked to rate the importance of particular topics from one (low importance) to ten (extraordinary importance), and there was no restriction on giving equal importance to more than one topic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 589 experts from 86 countries participated including 462 from Europe (response rate: 11.8 %). Physicians accounted for 60 % of participants, and 57 % had ten or more years' experience in this area. Microbial epidemiology/resistance achieved the highest priority scoring with 8.9, followed by surveillance 8.2, and decolonisation/disinfection/antiseptics with 7.9. Under epidemiology/resistance, highly resistant Gram-negative bacilli scored highest (9.0-9.2). The provision of computerised healthcare information systems for the early detection of outbreaks was accorded the top priority under surveillance. The prevention of surgical site and central line infections ranked highest under the category of specific HCAI and HCAI in certain settings. Differences between regions are described.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings reflect the concerns of experts in HCAI prevention and control. The results from this survey should inform national and international agencies on future action and research priorities.
authors.affiliation: Medical Centre, University of Freiburg, Institute for Environmental Health Sciences and Hospital Infection Control, Freiburg, Germany. markus.dettenkofer@glkn.de.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dettenkofer
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, The Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin, Ireland.|Department of Microbiology, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Hilary
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Humphreys
authors.affiliation: European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID), Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Henri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saenz
authors.affiliation: Consultant, Groupe Hospitalier Paris St Joseph, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carlet
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University and Östergötland County Council, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Håkan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hanberger
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, Hirslanden Klinik, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ruef
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Widmer
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Biometry and Medical Informatics, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wolkewitz
authors.affiliation: Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, Gower Street, London, UK.
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cookson
mesh_terms: D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Antimicrobial resistance; Decolonisation/decontamination; Highly resistant Gram-negative bacilli; Information systems; Microbial epidemiology