Impact of Comorbidities on Hospital-Acquired Infections in a Geriatric Rehabilitation Unit: Prospective Study of 252 Patients

ObjectivesHospital-acquired infections (HAIs) remain a major source of morbidity and mortality in long-term care units, despite advances in antimicrobial therapy and preventive measures. Our aim was to investigate risk factors for HAIs, especially in the elderly, and to describe the relationship between comorbidities (number, severity, and specific diseases) and HAIs using a comprehensive inventory of comorbidities.DesignProspective cohort studySettingGeriatric rehabilitation unit in a university hospital in the Paris metropolitan area.ParticipantsParticipants were 252 consecutive patients aged 75 years or older (mean age, 85 ± 6.2 years) and admitted between 2006 and 2008.MeasurementsSurveillance of HAI was conducted. A complete inventory of comorbidities was done using the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale for Geriatrics (CIRS-G). Potential risk factors were evaluated in 2 risk models, one with HAI acquisition, CIRS-G, activities of daily living score less than 10, and at least 1 invasive procedure (yes/no) and the other with HAI acquisition and specific invasive procedures and diseases.ResultsOf the 252 patients, 97 experienced HAIs, for an incidence of 5.6 infections per 1000 bed-days. The most common HAI sites were the respiratory tract (48%; 65/136) and urinary tract (37%; 51/136). The CIRS-G global score and comorbidity index were higher in patients with than without HAIs. Among HAI categories, respiratory and urogenital diseases were more prevalent in the group with HAIs. In the model combining CIRS-G, activities of daily living score less than 10, and at least 1 invasive procedure, independent risk factors for HAI were CIRS-G index (odds ratio [OR], 1.55; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.13–2.11; P = .005) and invasive procedures (OR, 5.18; 95% CI, 2.77–9.71; P < .001). In the model including specific procedures and diseases, independent risk factors for HAI were intravenous catheter (OR, 7.39; 95% CI, 2.94–18.56; P < .001), urinary catheter (OR, 3.33; 95% CI, 1.40–7.88; P = .006), gastrointestinal endoscopy (OR, 3.69; 95% CI, 1.12–12.16; P = .03), pressure sores (OR, 2.52; 95% CI, 1.04–6.10; P = .03), and swallowing impairment (OR, 3.37; 95% CI, 1.16–9.74; P = .02).ConclusionsThis study identified several important risk factors for HAIs. There is a need for HAI prevention via the implementation of infection-control programs, including surveillance, in rehabilitation units.     

Incidence of hospital-acquired infections in Italian long-term-care facilities: a prospective six-month surveillance

This study presents results from a six-month prospective surveillance of hospital-acquired infections in four Italian long-term-care facilities (LTCFs). Eight hundred and fifty-nine patients were enrolled and 21 503 person-days were observed. Two hundred and fifty-four hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) occurred in 188 patients. The overall infection rate was 11.8 per 1000 person-days. The most frequent infections were urinary tract infections (3.2 per 1000 person-days), lower respiratory tract infections (2.7 per 1000 person-days) and skin infections (2.5 per 1000 person-days). Risks related to HAI in a multi-variate regression model were: length of stay >or=28 days [odds ratio (OR) 3.5, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 2.4-5.0]; presence of a device (OR 2.0, 95%CI 1.3-3.0); Norton scale <12 (OR 1.8, 95%CI 1.2-2.6); and being bedridden (OR 1.7, 95%CI 1.08-2.6). The presence of HAI increased the median length of stay (31 days vs 20 days, P<0.01) without a significant influence on fatal outcome (OR 1.4, 95%CI 0.7-2.7).     

Hospital-acquired infections in Belgian acute-care hospitals: an estimation of their global impact on mortality, length of stay and healthcare costs

Assessing the overall burden of disease which can be attributed to hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) remains a challenge. A matched cohort study was performed to estimate excess mortality, length of stay and costs attributable to HAIs in Belgian acute-care hospitals, using six matching factors (hospital, diagnosis-related group, age, ward, Charlson score, estimated length of stay prior to infection). Information was combined from different sources on the epidemiology and burden of HAIs to estimate the impact at national level. The total number of patients affected by a HAI each year was 125 000 (per 10·9 million inhabitants). The excess mortality was 2·8% and excess length of stay was 7·3 days, corresponding to a public healthcare cost of €290 million. A large burden was observed outside the intensive-care unit setting (87% of patients infected and extra costs, 73% of excess deaths).     

Healthcare-associated infections in Finnish acute care hospitals: a national prevalence survey, 2005

The objectives of the first national prevalence survey on healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in Finland were to assess the extent of HAI, distribution of HAI types, causative organisms, prevalence of predisposing factors and use of antimicrobial agents. The voluntary survey was performed during February-March 2005 in 30 hospitals, including tertiary and secondary care hospitals and 10 (25%) other acute care hospitals in the country. The overall prevalence of HAI was 8.5% (703/8234). Surgical site infection was the most common HAI (29%), followed by urinary tract infection (19%) and primary bloodstream infection or clinical sepsis (17%). HAI prevalence was higher in males, among intensive care and surgical patients, and increased with age and severity of underlying illness. The most common causative organisms, identified in 56% (398/703) of patients with HAIs, were Escherichia coli (13%), Staphylococcus aureus (10%) and Enterococcus faecalis (9%). HAIs caused by multi-resistant microbes were rare (N = 6). A total of 122 patients were treated in contact isolation due to the carriage of multi-resistant microbes. At the time of the survey, 19% of patients had a urinary catheter, 6% central venous line and 1% were ventilated. Antimicrobial treatment was given to 39% of patients. These results can be used for prioritising infection control measures and planning more detailed incidence surveillance of HAI. The survey was a useful tool to increase the awareness of HAI in participating hospitals and to train infection control staff in diagnosing HAIs.     

Prevalance of and risk factors for hospital-acquired infections in Slovenia-results of the first national survey, 2001

A one-day survey was conducted in all (19) Slovenian acute-care hospitals in October 2001 to estimate the prevalence of all types of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) and to identify predominant micro-organisms and risk factors. Among 6695 patients surveyed, the prevalence of patients with at least one HAI was 4.6%. The prevalence of urinary tract infections was highest (1.2%), followed by pneumonia (1.0%), surgical wound infection (0.7%), and bloodstream infection (0.3%). In intensive care units (ICUs) the prevalence of patients with at least one HAI was 26.9% and the ratio of episodes of HAI per number of patients was 33.3%. One or more pathogens were identified in 55.8% of HAIs episodes. Among these, the most frequently single isolated micro-organisms were Staphylococcus aureus (18.2%) and Escherichia coli (10.2%). Risk factors for HAI included central intravascular catheter (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 3.2; 95% confidence intervals (CI) 2.1-4.9), peripheral intravascular catheter (adjusted OR 1.7; 95% CI 1.2-2.4), urinary catheter (adjuster OR 2.4; 95% CI 1.6-3.4), and hospitalization in ICUs (adjusted OR 2.5; 95% CI 1.4-4.3). The results provide the first national estimates for Slovenia.     

Hospital acquired infections surveillance and control in intensive care services. Results of an incidence study

Hospital acquired infections (HAI) continue to constitute a major health problem for hospital patients. Such a problem is particularly relevant in Intensive Care Wards. Here infections appear to be directly or indirectly related to the patients' death, and the patients, of course, represent a selected group of the most susceptible hosts in the whole hospital due to their immunosuppressed states, underlying diseases and the numerous and highly invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures to which they are submitted.This paper reports the results of a one-year surveillance incidence study carried out in four Intensive Care Wards at Padua Hospital by means of a daily visits to the wards and careful collection of the patients' data in a computerized sheet. Two-hundred-thirty-one of the 859 patients considered developed one or more HAI (HAI percentage 26.9%) for a total of 382 HAIs (Infections ratio 44.5%). Nosocomial pneumonias were the most frequent infections detected, whereas urinary tract infections, bacteremias and wound infections were less common in such patients. The study also confirmed the importance of invasive procedures and surgical operations in the predisposition to HAIs. In particular, the importance of the urinary catheter and of tracheal intubation was outlined. In addition, HAI appeared to be related to the duration of hospitalization and to the severity of the patients' illness. HAIs (especially nosocomial pneumonias) were also closely related to the patients' death. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, S. aureus, Acinetobacter and Streptococcus D were the most frequently isolated agents in the infected patients. Gram-negative agents accounted for 57% of all agents isolated and were particularly frequent in both pneumonias and urinary tract infections.Finally, this study underlined the necessity of particular and specific surveillance programs in Intensive Care Wards in order to obtain detailed data for a clear analysis of the problem.     

The place of guidelines in hospital-acquired pneumonia

The recent increase in hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) has meant that hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) has come under the spotlight. HAP is the most common HAI contributing to death and affects about 0.5-1% of all patients admitted to hospital. HAP significantly increases health complications and extends the length of time patients stay in hospital by up to 13 days on average, thus impacting significantly on hospital resources. The British Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia guidelines were published on the society's website last year and represent one of only two sets of evidence-based HAP guidelines in the world which deal with the trio of prevention, diagnosis and treatment. This paper reviews the evolution and status of HAP guidelines, drawing attention to recent developments, differences in approach and outcomes and further areas of work. There are clear indications that the implementation of evidence-based guidelines will reduce HAP and improve patient outcomes.     

Prevalence of hospital-acquired infections in a home care setting

The aim of this point-prevalence study was to determine the prevalence of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) by site of infection and the associated risk factors in a 'hospital at home' setting in Paris. All patients undergoing a care procedure with a risk of infection and who had been in home care for more than 48 h on the day of the survey (5 June 2000) were enrolled. A standard questionnaire was completed by nurses, midwives and family doctors. Overall, 6.1% of patients had at least one HAI [95% confidence intervals (CI): 3.7-8.5%] and there were 6.3 infections per 100 patients (infections/infected patients ratio: 1.04). The most common site of infection was the urinary tract (50.0%), followed by the skin (37.9%). Infection rates were 3.2% and 2.4%, respectively. Escherichia coli (29.4%), Staphylococcus aureus (29.4%) and Enterococcus spp. (17.6%) were the predominant micro-organisms. In multivariate analysis, the most significant independent risk factor was the presence of a urinary catheter (odds ratio=15.9, 95%CI: 6.3-40.1, P<0.0001). In conclusion, this prevalence study has provided a better understanding of the types of patient receiving 'hospital at home' care, an insight into risk factors for HAIs in home care, and a basis for improving surveillance and prevention.     

Point prevalence survey for healthcare-associated infections within Canadian adult acute-care hospitals

A survey of adult patients 19 years of age and older was conducted in February 2002 in hospitals across Canada to estimate the prevalence of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). A total of 5750 adults were surveyed; 601 of these had 667 HAIs, giving a prevalence of 10.5% infected patients and 11.6% HAIs. Urinary tract infections (UTI) were the most frequent HAI, shown by 194 (3.4%) of the patients surveyed. Pneumonia was found in 175 (3.0%) of the patients, surgical site infections (SSI) in 146 (2.5%), bloodstream infections (BSI) in 93 (1.6%) and Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhoea (CDAD) in 59 (1%). In this first national point prevalence study in Canada, the prevalence of HAI was found to be similar to that reported by other industrialized countries.     

Hospital-associated infections during and after care in a paediatric infectious disease ward

Viruses are important causes of paediatric hospital-associated infections (HAIs). We evaluated the frequency of viral HAIs during hospitalisation and after discharge in a paediatric infection ward. Data were collected prospectively for two years with follow-up questionnaires in which parents reported symptoms of new infections. Infections occurring >72 h after admission to hospital or <72 h after discharge were regarded as hospital-associated. The mean age of patients was 3.0 years and the mean hospitalisation time 3.0 days. Twenty-one out of the 1927 patients [1.1%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.7-1.7] developed an HAI during hospitalisation, in every case diarrhoea. A total of 1175 (61%) questionnaires were returned. In all, 86 children (7.3%, 95% CI: 5.9-9.0) had new symptoms within 72 h of discharge, most often diarrhoea (49%). Older age protected against HAI [odds ratio (OR, per year in age): 0.92; 95% CI: 0.85-0.99; P=0.02]. Among the patients hospitalised for respiratory infections, a shared room increased the risk of HAI (OR: 2.3; 95% CI: 1.1-4.8; P=0.03). Eight percent of the patients in our ward, where alcohol hand gel is actively used and single rooms are common, developed an HAI. Eighty percent of the HAIs appeared at home, which emphasises the importance of post-discharge follow-up.     

Nosocomial infections after cardiac surgery in infants and children: incidence and risk factors

This prospective study was undertaken to determine the spectrum, sites and main risk factors for hospital-acquired infections (HAI) in our paediatric cardiothoracic intensive care unit (PCICU), and to determine the main organisms causing bloodstream infection in this setting. All patients admitted between January and December 1999 were prospectively followed for the development of HAI. To define risk factors, patients were grouped by age, complexity score, length of stay in PCICU, and whether the patient's chest was open or closed postoperatively. Three hundred and thirty-five patients underwent cardiac surgery. Fifty-five patients acquired 69 HAIs (HAI patient rate 16.4%). The most common HAI were bloodstream and surgical wound infection in 10 and 8%, respectively. The main causative organisms were Klebsiella spp.,Enterobacter spp. and Pseudomonas spp. in 22, 17 and 16% of episodes, respectively.Staphylococcus spp. accounted for 16% of episodes. The main risk factors for developing HAI were: neonatal age [P < 0.05, odds ratio (OR): 5.89, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.96-11.58] prolonged PCICU stay (P < 0.05, OR: 6.82, 95% CI: 3.37-14.48), open chest postoperatively (P < 0.05, OR: 3.44, 95% CI: 1.31-8.52) and high complexity score (P < 0.05, OR: 4.03 95% CI: 1.87-8.43). The main causative organisms of bloodstream infections in children hospitalized in the PCICU differ from those in adult and pediatric general intensive care units (ICUs) and include mainly Gram-negative bacilli. High complexity score, neonatal age, prolonged ICU stay, and open chest postoperatively are risk factors of HAI in this patient population.     

2011年常州市15所医院医院感染现患率调查

目的了解常州市市属二级以上医院医院感染现状及相关危险因素,为制定相关政策提供依据。方法采取床旁调查和查阅住院病历相结合的方法,对2011年8月30日常州市市属二级以上15所医院所有住院患者进行医院感染现患率调查。结果15所医院应调查住院患者9 695例,实查9 691例,实查率99.96%。发生医院感染362例,382例次,医院感染现患率和例次感染现患率分别为3.74%和3.94％。检出病原体213株,其中革兰阴性菌占70.42%,革兰阳性菌占17.37%,真菌占11.27%,支原体占0.94%。例次感染现患率最高的科室为重症监护室（38.98％）。感染部位居前5位者依次为下呼吸道（43.72％）、上呼吸道（14.14％）、泌尿系统（11.26％）、手术部位（9.69％）、皮肤软组织（5.50％）。医院感染高危因素有：使用呼吸机（RR 95%CI：11.37～23.34）、有血管通路（RR 95%CI：3.91～6.85）和插导尿管（RR 95%CI：3.57～5.79）。使用抗菌药物患者3 562例,抗菌药物日使用率为36.76％;治疗用药1 831例（51.40％）,预防用药1 651例（46.35％）,无指征用药80例（2.25％）。结论医院感染现患率调查有助于了解医院感染的发生情况和提高监测的准确性;进一步了解医院感染高危因素及多药耐药菌感染情况,便于针对性地加强医院重点科室、重点部位的目标性监测。     

Estimating health care-associated infections and deaths in U.S. hospitals, 2002

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to provide a national estimate of the number of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) and deaths in United States hospitals. METHODS: No single source of nationally representative data on HAIs is currently available. The authors used a multi-step approach and three data sources. The main source of data was the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (NNIS) system, data from 1990-2002, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Data from the National Hospital Discharge Survey (for 2002) and the American Hospital Association Survey (for 2000) were used to supplement NNIS data. The percentage of patients with an HAI whose death was determined to be caused or associated with the HAI from NNIS data was used to estimate the number of deaths. RESULTS: In 2002, the estimated number of HAIs in U.S. hospitals, adjusted to include federal facilities, was approximately 1.7 million: 33,269 HAIs among newborns in high-risk nurseries, 19,059 among newborns in well-baby nurseries, 417,946 among adults and children in ICUs, and 1,266,851 among adults and children outside of ICUs. The estimated deaths associated with HAIs in U.S. hospitals were 98,987: of these, 35,967 were for pneumonia, 30,665 for bloodstream infections, 13,088 for urinary tract infections, 8,205 for surgical site infections, and 11,062 for infections of other sites. CONCLUSION: HAIs in hospitals are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. The method described for estimating the number of HAIs makes the best use of existing data at the national level.     

Risk factors for nosocomial infections in a neonatal intensive-care unit

The clinical records a years cohort of 280 newborn infants consecutively hospitalized for 48 h or more in our neonatal intensive-care unit (NICU) were reviewed. Information on the infants' conditions during the first 12h of life, and on the procedures used in the NICU, were collected. Statistical significance was tested by univariate analysis with the chi(2) test and by multivariate logistic regression analysis with the software program SPSS (Version 10). Over the one-year period reviewed, 90 hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) were contracted; 55 (19.6%) of infants had at least one infection during their stay. The overall in-hospital mortality was 7.1%, and mortality was higher in infants in whom at least one infection developed than in non-infected infants (12.7 vs. 5.8% P=0.13). Very low birthweight infants (VLBW<1,501 g) who had more severe clinical conditions on admission [clinical risk index for babies (CRIB) score >/=5] had an almost two-fold higher risk of contracting a HAI. In the multivariate regression analysis, the onset of a HAI was strongly associated with a low gestational age and the presence of an intravascular catheter. HAIs frequently complicate hospitalization in NICUs and are associated with increased mortality. Our findings also suggest that CRIB could be predictive for the risk of infection in VLBW infants.     

The Standardization of Hospital-Acquired Infection Rates Using Prediction Models in Iran: Observational Study of National Nosocomial Infection Registry Data

BackgroundMany factors contribute to the spreading of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs).ObjectiveThis study aimed to standardize the HAI rate using prediction models in Iran based on the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) method.MethodsIn this study, the Iranian nosocomial infections surveillance system (INIS) was used to gather data on patients with HAIs (126,314 infections). In addition, the hospital statistics and information system (AVAB) was used to collect data on hospital characteristics. First, well-performing hospitals, including 357 hospitals from all over the country, were selected. Data were randomly split into training (70%) and testing (30%) sets. Finally, the standardized infection ratio (SIR) and the corrected SIR were calculated for the HAIs.ResultsThe mean age of the 100,110 patients with an HAI was 40.02 (SD 23.56) years. The corrected SIRs based on the observed and predicted infections for respiratory tract infections (RTIs), urinary tract infections (UTIs), surgical site infections (SSIs), and bloodstream infections (BSIs) were 0.03 (95% CI 0-0.09), 1.02 (95% CI 0.95-1.09), 0.93 (95% CI 0.85-1.007), and 0.91 (95% CI 0.54-1.28), respectively. Moreover, the corrected SIRs for RTIs in the infectious disease, burn, obstetrics and gynecology, and internal medicine wards; UTIs in the burn, infectious disease, internal medicine, and intensive care unit wards; SSIs in the burn and infectious disease wards; and BSIs in most wards were >1, indicating that more HAIs were observed than expected.ConclusionsThe results of this study can help to promote preventive measures based on scientific evidence. They can also lead to the continuous improvement of the monitoring system by collecting and systematically analyzing data on HAIs and encourage the hospitals to better control their infection rates by establishing a benchmarking system.     

2009年上海市医院感染现患率调查结果分析

目的 了解上海市二、三级医院的医院感染现况.方法 按照卫生部<医院感染诊断标准>,采取床旁调查和查阅住院病历相结合的方法,对2009年10月份上海市二甲以上70所医院进行医院感染现患率调查.结果 实际调查49 458例,实查率99.58%,发现医院感染1962例,感染率3.97%,2193例次感染,例次感染率4.43%,调查当天有19 451例使用抗菌药物,使用率39.32%;感染部位前5位依次为下呼吸道(45.46%)、泌尿道(15.96%)、上呼吸道(10.44%)、手术部位(6.38%)、腹腔内组织(4.79%);检出病原菌1569株,大多为革兰阴性杆菌(57.55%),依次为铜绿假单胞菌230株(14.66%)、鲍氏不动杆菌157株(10.01%)、大肠埃希菌147株(9.37%),检出MRSA 116株(7.39%)、真菌277株(17.66%);多因素分析显示,男性、老年患者(≥65岁)、过长的住院时间(≥30 d)、入住ICU,是医院感染的独立危险因素.结论 上海市最常见的医院感染为下呼吸道感染,应加强对医院重点科室的目标性监测和下呼吸道感染的干预措施.     

Administrative data fail to accurately identify cases of healthcare-associated infection.

OBJECTIVE: Some policy makers have embraced public reporting of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) as a strategy for improving patient safety and reducing healthcare costs. We compared the accuracy of 2 methods of identifying cases of HAI: review of administrative data and targeted active surveillance. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A cross-sectional prospective study was performed during a 9-month period in 2004 at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, a 418-bed academic pediatric hospital. "True HAI" cases were defined as those that met the definitions of the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System and that were detected by a trained infection control professional on review of the medical record. We examined the sensitivity and the positive and negative predictive values of identifying HAI cases by review of administrative data and by targeted active surveillance. RESULTS: We found similar sensitivities for identification of HAI cases by review of administrative data (61%) and by targeted active surveillance (76%). However, the positive predictive value of identifying HAI cases by review of administrative data was poor (20%), whereas that of targeted active surveillance was 100%. CONCLUSIONS: The positive predictive value of identifying HAI cases by targeted active surveillance is very high. Additional investigation is needed to define the optimal detection method for institutions that provide HAI data for comparative analysis.     

Wide range of point prevalences of healthcare-associated infections in Western Greece

The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in the region of Western Greece and its relationship with possible predisposing factors. Two 1-day prevalence studies were performed in all hospitals of the region. The average HAI prevalence was 2·9% (range 0-6·8%) in the hospitals and 0-22·7% between different medical wards. Overall, 90% of HAI patients had predisposing factors. The most frequently isolated microorganism was Escherichia coli (14·3%). The study revealed a relatively low overall point prevalence of HAI, but remarkable discrepancies between the hospitals and wards. This may be due to the presence of confounding medical conditions and/or underreporting of HAIs from certain hospital wards. Local point-prevalence surveys may increase the awareness of HAIs in hospital staff and contribute to the establishment of effective infection control.     

Three-year prevalence of healthcare-associated infections in Dutch nursing homes

From November 2007 for a period of three years (2007-2009), we conducted an annual one-day prevalence study of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) among nursing home residents in the Nijmegen region of The Netherlands. In the absence of national HAI definitions applicable to the nursing home setting, we used modified definitions based on US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for bloodstream infection, lower respiratory tract infection, bacterial conjunctivitis, and gastroenteritis. For the surveillance of urinary tract infection (UTI), criteria established by the Dutch Association of Elderly Care Physicians were used. Resident characteristics were recorded and data collection was performed by the attending elderly care physicians. For the three-year period, 1275, 1323, and 1772 nursing home residents were included, resulting in a prevalence of HAIs of 6.7%, 7.6% and 7.6%, in 2007, 2008 and 2009, respectively. The demographics with respect to age (mean 81 years) and sex (31% men, 69% women) were almost identical in all three years. UTI was the most prevalent HAI with 3.5%, 4.2%, and 4.1% respectively. Most HAIs occurred among residents of rehabilitation units. The prevalence of HAIs varied by nursing home (range: 0.0-32.4%). We present the results of the first prevalence study of HAIs in Dutch nursing homes. Point prevalence studies of HAIs, as part of a quality improvement cycle, are an important cornerstone of infection control programmes in nursing homes, allowing us to further increase patient safety efforts in this setting.