Epidemiological and microbiological aspects of healthcare-associated infections in Ukraine during the 2009-2019 period.

INTRODUCTION Healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) are a global health problem, and the problem of HCAIs in Ukraine remains poorly understood because of problems with the registration system. OBJECTIVE To analyze the official data of the number of registered HCAIs in Ukraine for the period 2009-2019, compare them with the available data in scientific publications. MATERIAL AND METHODS Statistical analysis of information from the "Laboratory Centers of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine" kindly provided by the State Institution "Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine". RESULTS In 2019, 2,611 cases of HCAIs were registered, the lowest annual number of registered HCAIs in the last twelve years. The maximum number of HCAIs in 2011 was 7,448. An average of 5,089±756 cases of HCAIs has been registered annually. By age structure, the average for 2009-2019 was 78.0±5.8 % for adults and 22.0 % for children (0-17 y.o.). In 2019 13.8% of registered potential HCAIs agents were identified as MDR, and 80.0-87.0% belongs to the group of 12-17, the most common pathogens. CONCLUSIONS The estimated minimum number of HCAIs in Ukraine was expected to be about 1 million per year. Official statistics on registered cases of HCAIs in Ukraine do not reflect reality, so the registration system and investigation of HCAIs in Ukraine needs to be reformed.