Survey
Prevalence of nosocomial infections in France: results of the nationwide survey in 1996

https://doi.org/10.1053/jhin.2000.0833Get rights and content

Abstract

To estimate the prevalence of nosocomial infections (NI) and to increase healthcare professionals' awareness of hygiene, all French hospitals were requested to participate to a national point-prevalence survey on a voluntary basis between May and June, 1996. Of the 236 334 inpatients in 830 participating hospitals, 6.7% presented with at least one nosocomial infection and 1.3% with an NI imported from another hospital. Nosocomial infection prevalence was particularly high in rehabilitation and long-term care facilities, especially for urinary tract and skin/soft tissue infections. Postoperative patients accounted for 18% of the overall population and had twice the frequency of NI as other patients. The prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was 0.6% and accounted for 57% of all S. aureus isolated from NI. The results of this first national prevalence survey reflect the sustained efforts at combating NI over the past decade in France and provided an incentive for better definition of infection control priorities in high-risk healthcare settings.

Cited by (0)

f1

The French Prevalence Survey Study Group. Authors: Pascal Astagneau (North Regional Co-ordinating Centre for Nosocomial Infection Control), Bernard Branger (West Regional Co-ordinating Centre for Nosocomial Infection Control), Catherine Dumartin (Ministry of Health), Prof. Jean-Pierre Gachie (South-west Regional Co-ordinating Centre for Nosocomial Infection Control), Stéphane Gayet (East Regional Co-ordinating Centre for Nosocomial Infection Control), Agnès Lepoutre (Ministry of Health), Pierre Parneix (South-west Regional Co-ordinating Centre for Nosocomial Infection Control), Anne Savey (South-east Regional Co-ordinating Centre of Nosocomial Infection Control). Members: Prof. Michel Bientz (East Regional Co-ordinating Centre for Nosocomial Infection Control), Prof. Gilles Brücker (North Regional Co-ordinating Centre for Nosocomial Infection Control), Prof. Jean Carlet (National Committee for Nosocomial Infection Control), Prof. Jacques Chaperon (West Regional Co-ordinating Centre for Nosocomial Infection Control), Prof. Benoist Lejeune (West Regional Co-ordinating Centre for Nosocomial Infection Control), Danielle Cullet (Ministry of Health), Prof. Jacques Fabry (South-east Regional Co-ordinating Centre for Nosocomial Infection Control), Franck Golliot (North Regional Co-ordinating Centre for Nosocomial Infection Control), Christiane Gulian (University Hospital of Marseille), Christian Jacquelinet (West Regional Co-ordinating Centre for Nosocomial Infection Control), Prof. Jean-Claude Labadie (South-west Regional Co-ordinating Centre for Nosocomial Infection Control), Catherine Sartor (University Hospital of Marseille), Zoher Kadi (North Regional Co-ordinating Centre for Nosocomial Infection Control).

f2

Author for correspondence: Pascal Astagneau, C-CLIN Nord, Institut Biomédical des Cordeliers, 15 rue de l'Ecole de Médecine, 75006 Paris, France. E-mail:[email protected]

View full text