White Papers

A New Ally in the Fight Against Bacteria that Cause Healthcare-acquired Infections

More than 90,000 patients are admitted to U.S. hospitals daily. People go to the hospital because they’re ill or injured. However, during their stay, some patients can develop an illness that they didn’t come in with. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in 25 hospital patients has at least one healthcare-associated infection (HAI). The prevalence and substantial acquisition rate of HAIs has become a major concern in the healthcare industry. In 2011, it was estimated that of the approximately 722,000 patients who contracted HAIs, 10% died as a consequence of this adverse event subsequent to hospitalization. The five major HAIs identified by the study are: central line-associated bloodstream infections, ventilator-associated pneumonia, surgical site infections, C. difficile infections and catheter-associated urinary tract infections.