Seasonal variation of hospital-acquired bloodstream infections: A national cohort study.

BACKGROUND

Hospital-acquired bloodstream infections (HABSIs) cause increased morbidity, mortality, and hospital costs that are partially preventable. HABSI seasonality has been described for gram-negative bacteria but has not been stratified per infection origin.

OBJECTIVE

To assess seasonality among all types of HABSIs and their associations with climate.

METHODS

Hospitals performing surveillance for at least 1 full calendar year between 2000 and 2014 were included. Mixed-effects negative binomial regression analysis calculated the peak-to-low monthly ratio as an adjusted HABSI incidence rate ratio (IRR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Another regression model examined associations between HABSI rates and climate variables. These analyses were stratified by microorganism and infectious origin.

RESULTS

The study population included 104 hospitals comprising 44,111 HABSIs. Regression analysis identified an incidence rate ratio (IRR) peak in August for gram-negative HABSIs (IRR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.49-1.71), CLABSIs (IRR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.30-1.70), and urinary tract HABSI (IRR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.34-1.74). The gram-negative incidence increased by 13.1% (95% CI, 9.9%-16.4%) for every 5°C increase in temperature. Seasonality was most present among E. coli, K. pneumoniae, E. cloacae, and the nonfermenters. Gram-positive and pulmonary HABSIs did not demonstrate seasonal variation.

CONCLUSIONS

Seasonality with summer spikes occurred among gram-negative bacteria, CLABSIs, and urinary tract HABSIs. Higher ambient temperature was associated with gram-negative HABSI rates. The preventable causative factors for seasonality, such as the nurse-to-patient ratio, indoor room temperature or device-utilization, need to be examined to assess areas for improving patient safety.