Bloodstream infections are the most common healthcare-associated infections among children in Europe, according to a new study.
Researchers found high rates of infection in paediatric intensive care units and neonatal units.
The findings come from an analysis of data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
It involved information from 1,149 hospitals in the EU together with Iceland, Norway and Croatia.
Some 770 health care associated infections were found among 17,273 children and adolescents.
The analysis showed that 45% of infections were in the bloodstream while 22% were lower respiratory tract infections.
About 77% of the infections were found in infants under the age of 12 months.
The research was undertaken by a team including Professor Alison Holmes, of Imperial College, London, Dr Susan Hopkins, of Public Health England, and Dr Angèle Gayet-Ageron, of University of Geneva Hospitals, Switzerland.
They conclude: "Infection prevention and control strategies in children should focus on prevention of bloodstream infections, particularly among neonates and infants."
A spokesman for the Centre said: "This is the largest multi-national study describing healthcare-associated infections in children so far, providing detailed information about the prevalence and distribution of these infections in this specific population.
"A second point prevalence survey is ongoing in Europe, including improvements to address some of the limitations found during the development of the study, and its results will be published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control after 2017."
Lancet Infectious Diseases 12 January 2017 [abstract]
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