Update on the epidemiology of healthcare-acquired bacterial infections: focus on complicated skin and skin structure infections

Healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) are a threat to patient safety and cause substantial medical and economic burden in acute care and long-term care facilities. Risk factors for HCAIs include patient characteristics, the type of care and the setting. Local surveillance data and microbiological characterization are crucial tools for guiding antimicrobial treatment and informing efforts to reduce the incidence of HCAI. Skin and soft tissue infections, including superficial and deep incisional surgical site infections, are among the most frequent HCAIs. Other skin and soft tissue infections associated with healthcare settings include vascular access site infections, infected burns and traumas, and decubitus ulcer infections.

Automated summary

Healthcare-associated infections pose a threat to patient safety and require monitoring data and microbiological characteristics to guide and reduce incidence rates. Among these infections, skin and soft tissue infections are the most common, including surgical site infections and other healthcare-associated infections.