Healthcare Associated Infections

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are infections acquired in healthcare facilities, such as hospitals, long-term care facilities and outpatient facilities like dialysis and ambulatory surgical centers.

HAIs can be particularly devastating to people who are already very sick or immunocompromised. These types of infections can be resistant to antibiotics, can be very difficult to treat, and can lead to death.

HAIs can be caused by many different germs and routes of transmission.  Examples include central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI), catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), surgical site infections (SSI), and ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Multidrug resistant organisms (MDROs) are becoming more common in healthcare settings.  Two emerging MDROs include Candida auris and carbapenemase-producing organisms (CPOs)

Candida auris

Candida auris is a fungus (yeast) that can cause a range of infections from skin infections to life-threatening infections, such as bloodstream infections.  It spreads easily among patients in healthcare facilities.

• ACHD  Candida auris: Update for Healthcare Professionals
• PADOH C. auris Data Dashboard

Carbapenemase-producing organisms (CPOs)

Carbapenemase-producing organisms (CPO) are multidrug-resistant pathogens which are difficult to treat and associated with high mortality. CPO commonly contain plasmids that can facilitate transmission of resistance genes to other bacteria. Early detection and infection control strategies are necessary to prevent spread of CPOs.

• ACHD Carbapenemase-Producing Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales (CP-CRE): Updates for Healthcare Professionals)
• PADOH Carbapenemase-producing Organisms: Five-Year Surveillance Report, 2018–2022

---

PA Department of Health HAI Reports

The Pennsylvania Department of Health publishes annual statewide healthcare-associated infection reports that provide counts of central line-associated bloodstream infections, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, and surgical site infections at all Pennsylvania acute care hospitals.
        Healthcare-Associated Infections Annual Reports

PADOH also provides resources for healthcare professionals including toolkits for Candida auris, invasive Group A Strep, antimicrobial resistance, and colonization screening for resistant organisms.
        Public Health Professional Resources

Important HAI Resources (CDC)

• Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs)
• Tips for Being a Safe Patient
• HAIs: Reports and Data

Resources for Healthcare Professionals

• Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs)
• Tips for Being a Safe Patient
• HAIs: Reports and Data
• Interfacility Patient Transfer Form
• HAI Prevention, Control and Outbreak Response for Public Health and Healthcare
• National HAI Targets & Metrics
• National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) HAI Progress Reports