Publication date: Jun 03, 2025
Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate changes in the rate and spectrum of healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) and to analyse the rate and spectrum of antimicrobial prescriptions in four long-term care facilities (LTCFs) in Graz, Austria, from 2018 to 2022 in a prospective cohort study. Methods: Nursing staff prospectively collected data on HCAIs and antimicrobial prescriptions once a week. Log-linear Poisson models for counts were applied mostly to evaluate the difference effects of the various calendar years compared to the reference year of 2018. Results: A total of 1684 infections were recorded in 720 residents during the study period. The overall annual incidence rate of HCAIs varied over time with a significant increase to 2. 86/1000 resident days in 2019 and to 4. 09/1000 resident days in 2022, both compared to 2018, p < 0. 001. A large peak in respiratory tract infections (RTIs) occurred in winter 2021/2022 due to a large number of SARS-CoV-2 infections in all four LTCFs. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) were the most commonly recorded infections. Beta-lactams were the most frequently prescribed systemic anti-infectives. A statistically significant increase in the rate of beta-lactam prescriptions/1000 resident days occurred between 2018 and 2022 (p = 0. 016), whereas a statistically significant decrease in quinolone prescriptions/1000 resident days occurred in the same time period (p < 0. 001). Conclusions: The incidence rates of HCAIs varied over time with a significant increase during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022 compared to 2018. Continued surveillance efforts are necessary to assess the effect of infection control efforts after the pandemic.
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| Concepts | Keywords |
|---|---|
| Antibiotics | elderly |
| Austria | nosocomial infections |
| Surveillance | nursing home |
| Week | surveillance |
Semantics
| Type | Source | Name |
|---|---|---|
| disease | MESH | Infections |
| drug | DRUGBANK | Etoperidone |
| disease | MESH | respiratory tract infections |
| disease | MESH | SARS-CoV-2 infections |
| disease | MESH | Urinary tract infections |
| disease | IDO | infection |
| disease | MESH | Healthcare Associated Infections |
| disease | MESH | Infectious Diseases |
| drug | DRUGBANK | Nonoxynol-9 |
| disease | IDO | facility |
| disease | MESH | functional status |
| disease | MESH | morbidity |
| disease | IDO | intervention |
| disease | MESH | tick borne infections |
| disease | IDO | infection incidence |
| drug | DRUGBANK | L-Aspartic Acid |
| drug | DRUGBANK | Pivmecillinam |
| disease | IDO | site |
| disease | IDO | local infection |
| drug | DRUGBANK | Folic Acid |
| drug | DRUGBANK | Nitrofurantoin |
| drug | DRUGBANK | Fosfomycin |
| drug | DRUGBANK | Rifamycin |
| disease | IDO | antibiotic resistance |