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Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) are infections caused by a wide variety of common and unusual bacteria, fungi, and viruses during the course of receiving medical care.

Medical advances have brought lifesaving care to patients in need, yet many of those advances come with a risk of HAI. These infections related to medical care can be devastating and even deadly. As our ability to prevent HAIs grows, these infections are increasingly unacceptable.

Recent successes in HAI elimination have been very encouraging. Reductions have been demonstrated for other HAIs as well, but much more remains to be done.

Wherever patient care is provided, adherence to infection prevention guidelines is needed to ensure that all care is safe care. This includes traditional hospital settings as well as outpatient surgery centers, long-term care facilities, rehabilitation centers, and community clinics. The information on this website is intended to inform patients and healthcare personnel and help move healthcare systems toward elimination of HAIs.

Healthcare-associated Infections (HAI) topics

HAI iconHAIs: The Burden

The incidence and economic cost of HAIs...

organismDiseases and Organisms

Pathogens associated with HAIs

medical iconMonitoring Infections

Surveillance systems

x-rayTypes of Infections

Bloodstream, surgical, urinary, pneumonia…

hand hygiene iconPreventing HAIs

Resources toward elimination of HAIs

research iconResearch

CDC Prevention Epicenters and HAI Research Strategy

Featured Campaigns

State-based HAI Prevention

A map of the United States

CDC’s work with state health departments improves HAI tracking and prevention by implementing successful prevention strategies in the entire state and tracking the impact of that strategy across all hospitals.

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