How frequent are outbreaks of nosocomial infection in community hospitals?
A statistical algorithm was used to identify potentially important clusters among nosocomial infections reported each month by 7 community hospitals. Epidemiologic review and on-site investigations distinguished outbreaks of clinical disease from factitious clusters. In 1 year, 8 outbreaks were confirmed. They involved 82 patients–approximately 2% of patients with nosocomial infections and 0.09% of all discharges. One true outbreak occurred for every 12,000 discharges–at least 1 outbreak per year for the average community hospital. Five (63%) outbreaks were recognized independently by the hospitals’ infection control personnel. Four (50%) resolved spontaneously; the hospitals’ own control measures were necessary in 2; and 2 resolved only after an outside investigation. Organized surveillance appears necessary to detect some outbreaks, and control measures are needed to stop many. Since, however, outbreaks account for such a small proportion of nosocomial infections, infection control
