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Surgical site infections

Disease data from ECDC Surveillance Atlas

Get the latest surveillance data on surgical site infections from EU and EEA countries through the Surveillance Atlas of Infectious Diseases.

Get the data

Latest epidemiological data

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are among the most common types of infection. 

In 2017, 10 149 SSIs were reported from a total of 648 512 surgical procedures.  

Read the 2017 Annual Epidemiological Report

Protocol for surveillance

The European protocol for the surveillance of surgical site infections ensures standardisation of definitions, data collection and reporting procedures for hospitals participating in the national/regional surveillance across Europe

View protocol

Directory of online resources

The directory lists guidance and documents on the prevention and control of surgical site infections

View the directory

Peer-Reviewed Publication

Prevalence and incidence of surgical site infections in the European Union/European Economic Area: how do these measures relate?

Dec 2019

Peer-Reviewed Publication

Application of a new methodology and R package reveals a high burden of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) in Germany compared to the average in the European Union/European Economic Area, 2011 to 2012

Nov 2019

Publication

Healthcare-associated infections: surgical site infections - Annual Epidemiological Report for 2017

Surveillance report -

Peer-Reviewed Publication

International Society of Cardiovascular Infectious Diseases Guidelines for the Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention of Disseminated Mycobacterium chimaera Infection Following Cardiac Surgery with Cardiopulmonary Bypass

Feb 2019

Data

Surveillance systems overview for 2017

Table -

Peer-Reviewed Publication

Prevalence and incidence of surgical site infections in the European Union/European Economic Area: how do these measures relate?

Dec 2019

Peer-Reviewed Publication

Application of a new methodology and R package reveals a high burden of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) in Germany compared to the average in the European Union/European Economic Area, 2011 to 2012

Nov 2019

Publication

Healthcare-associated infections: surgical site infections - Annual Epidemiological Report for 2017

Surveillance report -

Peer-Reviewed Publication

International Society of Cardiovascular Infectious Diseases Guidelines for the Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention of Disseminated Mycobacterium chimaera Infection Following Cardiac Surgery with Cardiopulmonary Bypass

Feb 2019

Publication

Healthcare-associated infections: surgical site infections - Annual Epidemiological Report for 2016

Surveillance report -

Data

Surveillance systems overview for 2017

Table -

Data

Surveillance systems overview for 2016

Table -

Data

Surveillance systems overview for 2015

Table -

Data

Figure 1. Participation in the surveillance of SSIs, EU/EEA, 2013–2014

Map -

Data

Figure 3. Trends of percentage of SSIs by year and surgical procedure type, EU/EEA, 2011–2014

Graph -

Surveillance and disease data

Facts

Surgical site infections are associated with longer post-operative hospital stays, additional procedures, may require intensive care and often result in higher mortality.

Related diseases/public health areas

Disease / public health area

Healthcare-associated infections

Disease / public health area

Antimicrobial consumption

Disease / public health area

Antimicrobial resistance

Disease networks

Healthcare-associated Infections Surveillance Network (HAI-Net)

European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network (EARS-Net)

European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Consumption Network (ESAC-Net)

European Antimicrobial Resistance Genes Surveillance Network (EURGen-Net)