A surveillance study conducted by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) found that more than 3% of long-term care facility (LTCF) residents in Europe had at least one healthcare-associated infection (HAI) in 2023 or 2024.
The point prevalence study was conducted in 1,097 LTCFs in 18 European Union/European Economic Area countries and involved 66,112 residents. Of the surveyed LCTFs, at least one staff member with infection prevention and control (IPC) training was available in 77.5%, 40.5% reported having an IPC committee, and 94.2% had a written hand-hygiene protocol. But 38.8% did not have any of the 10 specified antimicrobial stewardship elements.

The crude prevalence of residents with at least one HAI was 3.1%. The most frequently reported HAIs were urinary tract infections (34.1%), respiratory tract infections (27.3%), and skin infections (23.9%). Overall, only 20% of HAIs had positive microbiologic confirmation at the time of the study.
Among the confirmed infections, the most frequently reported microorganisms were Escherichia coli (32.6%), SARS-CoV-2 (14.1%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (9.8%), and Staphylococcus aureus (7.9%).
The crude prevalence of residents receiving at least one antimicrobial was 4.1%. Nearly one-third (29.1%) of prescriptions were given for prophylactic (preventive) purposes.
Enhanced IPC efforts needed
ECDC officials say the results indicate that national health authorities and LTCF managers need to allocate adequate resources for IPC programs, implement robust quality control and surveillance systems, and ensure core competencies for IPC professionals.
"Good data are the foundation for effective action," ECDC Chief Scientist Piotr Kramarz, MD, PhD, said in a press release. "This survey shows we need to better protect long-term care residents through evidence-based strategies, enhanced surveillance, and a firm commitment to real change."