In Germany according to current estimates, annually about 400,000 to 600,000 hospital infections. A by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) has published a new study confirms earlier projections. The number of Hospital acquired deaths is an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 per year. So far, it was assumed that a maximum of 15,000 deaths due to hospital-acquired infections.
For the study, the RKI had studied-scientists, together with the European centre for the prevention and control of diseases, as well as the Charité hospital in Berlin for five diseases:
- Lung inflammation
- Urinary tract infections
- Wound infection
- Sepsis, Blood Poisoning
- By case, disease by the pathogen Clostridium difficile
Together they make up almost 80 per cent of hospital-acquired infections. Generally, it is the RKI, according to hard to capture deaths due to so-called nosocomial infections. Many patients suffer from thus serious underlying diseases, the cause without the hospital infection death.
250,000 years less
The proportion of patients who get a hospital infection, according to the study, in Germany, with around 3.6 percent lower than the EU average (5.5 percent). Based on the entire population, and more people are coming in Germany, however in the hospital than in the European average.
This year 500 to 650 patients per 100,000 inhabitants in this country suffer from a hospital infection in the EU on average there are 450 to 500 per 100,000 inhabitants. The illness and death years of life lost due to such infections are estimated for Germany to just under 250,000 per year.
A major reason for the higher burden of disease in Germany, the greater number of stationary to the RKI, according to the treated patients and the hospital beds. Germany has beds in Europe, the highest number of hospital and the second highest number of hospital patients per 1000 inhabitants and year.
A large part of the hospital infections are preventable
The Figures on hospital infections in Germany are partly controversial. Other estimates go beyond the official information. The German society of hospital hygiene held in the past, nosocomial infections of at least one Million per year to be realistic, out of which at least 30,000 deaths per year.
Hospital-acquired infections, of which a significant proportion is avoidable, for many years a much-discussed topic. Only a part of it goes back to multi-resistant bacteria, against which there is almost no antibiotic and which represent a growing Problem in hospitals.
Resistance lead to bacterial infections are harder to treat, because antibiotics are losing their effectiveness. The result of progressions of longer and significantly more severe disease and even deaths.
According to estimates, in Germany there are 30,000 to 35,000 hospital infections with multi-resistant pathogens. In most cases, it is the Mmthillicin resistant Staphylococcus aureus – short MRSA. This strain of bacteria can cause severe to fatal infections.
For healthy people, MRSA is usually harmless. For immunocompromised patients in intensive care units, Cancer patients, surgery patients, premature babies, or people with chronic wounds, however, multi – can. – resistant pathogen, will be dangerous and, among other things, pneumonia, Wound and urinary tract infections or blood cause poisoning
The European court of auditors has called on the European Union, currently to a greater fight against resistant bacteria. “Antimicrobial resistance is a serious threat to public health,” said the person in charge auditor Nikolaos Milionis on Friday. So far, little evidence that the current efforts for containment of resistant bacteria could reduce the risk to the population.