AN ANALYSIS OF 2 PREVALENCE SURVEYS OF NOSOCOMIAL INFECTION IN GERMANINTENSIVE-CARE UNITS

In 1995, the results of two extensive prevalence studies on hospital-a cquired infections were published. Both studies included a prevalence component for German intensive care units (ICUs), but provided very di fferent infection rates. A comparison of the methods used revealed tha t the data from the ICUs included in the German section of EPIC (Europ ean Prevalence of Infection in Intensive Care), reflected the situatio n in the ICUs of large hospitals. The situation in ICUs with fewer tha n 600 beds was quite different, and led to the lower overall rate of i nfection as seen in the NIDEP (Nosocomial Infections in Germany-Survei llance and Prevention) study. Additionally, the NIDEP data permitted t he calculation of device-associated, device-day, infection rates for u rinary tract infections, pneumonia and bacteraemia. The differences be tween the ICUs in the two hospital groups were mainly due to a lower u se of patient devices with regard to urinary catheters, central venous lines and respiratory ventilators.