HOSPITAL-ACQUIRED PNEUMONIA - PERSPECTIVES FOR THE HEALTH-CARE EPIDEMIOLOGIST

Nosocomial pneumonia is defined as an infection of lung parenchyma tha t was neither present nor incubating at the time of the patient's admi ssion to the hospital. In the United States, hospital-acquired pneumon ia is the second most common nosocomial infection and accounts for the most deaths from nosocomial infection. We describe how infection cent ral personnel can use targeted surveillance to identify clusters of ca ses and to prevent pneumonia. We also discuss common pathogens that ca use nosocomial pneumonia; ventilator-associated pneumonia; and strateg ies for prevention of hospital-acquired pneumonia (Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 1997;18:785-795).