Healthcare-associated Infections
"Did You Know?" is a weekly feature from the Office for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support to inform your prevention activities. We invite you to read, share, and take action!
View the Current "Did You Know?"
March 8, 2013
- Untreatable and hard-to-treat infections from carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) germs are on the rise among patients in medical facilities, with 42 states reporting having had at least one patient test positive for one type of CRE.
- The increase in CRE infections is alarming because these bacteria kill up to half of people who get severe infections from them. CRE germs have become resistant to all or nearly all the antibiotics we have today.
- By following CDC guidelines, healthcare leaders and providers can halt CRE infections before they become widespread in medical facilities and potentially spread to otherwise healthy people outside of medical facilities.
July 20, 2012
- 41 states have confirmed cases of Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), a dangerous drug-resistant “superbug” that can have up to a 40% death rate.
- To determine CRE prevalence in acute care facilities, Wisconsin made CRE a reportable disease [PDF-663KB]; after six months, 11 CRE events were uncovered from seven hospitalized patients.
- Minnesota expanded and tailored existing CRE recommendations and strengthened its relationship [PDF-629KB] with laboratories and infection preventionists in healthcare facilities across the state.
March 9, 2012
- Clostridium difficile, a bacterium, is linked to at least 14,000 U.S. deaths each year.
- 94% of these infections are connected to getting inpatient or outpatient medical care.
- Health care providers can stop C. difficile by following these 6 steps to prevention.
March 4, 2011
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41,000 central-line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) occurred in hospital patients in 2009.
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CDC's Vital Signs report for March highlights this health concern, one of the most deadly healthcare-associated infections.
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Healthcare providers and state health departments can work together by joining the On the CUSP, Stop BSI program and incorporating CDC's guidelines and monitoring system in other CLABSI programs.
February 25, 2011
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1 in 20 patients will get an infection during medical care in hospitals.
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CDC is working toward the elimination of healthcare-associated infections.
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You can play an important role in your state to reduce HAIs. CDC has guidelines to help implement the HHS Action Plan for HAI prevention and NHSN to track prevention progress.
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