Association of COVID-19 with incidence of HAIs in California hospitals

Editor's Note

This study, by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, and California Department of Public Health, finds significant increases in healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in California acute-care hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically, central-line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infections (BSIs).

The researchers found a positive association between facility occupancy of COVID-19 patients and the incidence of CLABSI and MRSA BSI. They did not find any association between facility occupancy of COVID-19 patients and Clostridioides difficile infections (CDIs); however, the standardized antimicrobial administration ratios (SAARs) for drugs associated with a high risk for CDI increased slightly.

These findings add to a body of literature documenting increases in HAIs during COVID-19, the researchers say.