[Excess mortality and prolongation of stay due to bloodstream infections caused by multiresistant pathogens in Germany].

BACKGROUND

Multiresistant pathogens cause substantial excess mortality and prolongation of hospital stay. However, until now there are no reliable estimates for Germany.

METHOD

Based on data of three recent publications from Europe and current German data on bloodstream infections because of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing E. coli we calculated the number of patients dying from bloodstream infections because of MRSA- instead of methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) or ESBL-producing E. coli instead of non-ESBL E. coli.

RESULTS

About 421 patients died in 2010 because they suffered from MRSA bloodstream infection instead of MSSA bloodstream infection. Excess mortality for bloodstream infections because ESBL-producing E. coli instead of non-ESBL E. coli was about 256 cases. Considering that bloodstream infections with other multiresistant pathogens also lead to higher mortality, between 800 to 1000 deaths can be expected because of the resistant variant of the pathogens. In addition, bloodstream infections with multiresistant pathogens lead to more than 12000 additional days in hospital in Germany.

CONCLUSION

Although this article does not include the burden of other healthcare-associated infections due to multiresistant pathogens the data for bloodstream infections alone demonstrate substantial excess burden and costs.