Healthcare-associated Infections (HAIs)

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are infections that patients develop during the course of receiving healthcare treatment for other conditions. They can happen following treatment in healthcare facilities including hospitals as well as outpatient surgery centers, dialysis centers, long-term care facilities such as nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and community clinics. They can also occur during the course of treatment at home. They can be caused by a wide variety of common and unusual bacteria, fungi, and viruses.

HAIs are the most common complication of hospital care, occurring in approximately one in every 20 patients. The following HAIs occurring in hospitalized patients are required to be reported to the California Department of Public Health by all California general acute care hospitals:

Central Line-associated Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI) -- a central line-associated bloodstream infection is a serious infection that occurs when germs enter the bloodstream through a central line. A central line is a tube that healthcare providers place in a large vein in the neck, chest, or arm to give fluids, blood, or medications or to do certain medical tests quickly. For more information about CLABSI see CLABSI Information Page and for CLABSI report see CLABSI Report Page

Methicillin-resistant Staphyloccocus aureus (MRSA) Bloodstream Infection (BSI) -- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a type of staph bacteria that is resistant to certain antibiotics called beta-lactams. These antibiotics include methicillin and other more common antibiotics such as oxacillin, penicillin, and amoxicillin. In the community, most MRSA infections are skin infections. More severe or potentially life-threatening MRSA infections occur most frequently among patients in healthcare settings. For more information about MRSA, see MRSA Information Page and for the MRSA report see MRSA and VRE Bloodstream Infection (BSI) Report Page

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE) Bloodstream Infection (BSI) -- Vancomycin-resistant enterococci are specific types of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria that are resistant to vancomycin, the drug often used to treat infections caused by enterococci.  Enteroccocci are bacteria that are normally present in the human intestines and in the female genital tract, and are often found in the environment. These bacteria can sometimes cause infections. Most vancomycin-resistant Enterococci infections occur in hospitals. For more information about VRE see VRE Information Page and for VRE report see MRSA and VRE Bloodstream Infection (BSI) Report Page

Clostridium difficile Infection (C. difficile, C. diff, CDI, CDAD) -- Clostridium difficile is a bacterium that may develop due to the prolonged use of antibiotics during healthcare treatment. Clostridium difficile infections cause diarrhea and more serious intestinal conditions such as colitis. Clostridium difficile can cause gastrointestinal infection; patients can be exposed to this bacterium through contaminated surfaces or the spores can be transferred on unclean hands of others. For more information aboput CDI, see CDI Information Page and for the CDI report, see CDI Report Page

Surgical Site Infection (SSI) -- A surgical site infection is an infection that occurs after surgery in the part of the body where the surgery took place. Surgical site infections can sometimes be superficial infections involving the skin only. Other surgical site infections are more serious and can involve tissues under the skin, organs, or implanted material.  To view information on SSI reporting, see SSI Interactive Map