National Surveillance Trends in Registered Healthcare-Associated Infections in Georgia, 2020–2025: A Retrospective Registry-Based Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52340/GBMN.2026.01.01.185Keywords:
Georgia, Healthcare management, Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), Hospital surveillance, Infection control, Registered notification analysisAbstract
BACKGROUND. Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) present a critical global public health challenge, imposing significant socioeconomic and structural pressures on healthcare infrastructure. In Georgia, the clinical burden of HAIs is amplified by the dissemination of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial strains within intensive care environments and high rates of unregulated outpatient antibiotic use. OBJECTIVES. To conduct a nationwide retrospective evaluation of the registered notification trends, chronological dynamics, and structural distribution of major HAIs in Georgia from 2020 to 2025 to provide a basis for optimizing infection control policies. METHODS. A retrospective epidemiological analysis was conducted utilizing official surveillance registry data from the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC) of Georgia between January 2020 and December 2025. A total cohort of N = 13,365 cases was analyzed across four legally mandated HAIs (BSI, VAP, UTI, and SSI) according to NCDC Georgia national clinical and laboratory definitions. 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using the Poisson distribution to evaluate the stability of notification rates. RESULTS. The absolute number of registered HAIs escalated from 382 cases in 2020 to 3,412 cases in 2025. Low counts in 2020– 2021 reflect pandemic-related institutional underreporting. The subsequent surge likely reflects improved surveillance sensitivity and reporting compliance; however, in the absence of patient-day and admission denominators, a true increase in HAI burden cannot be excluded. The registered notification rate for 2025 was 91.9 per 100,000 population. Preliminary 2026 data (975 cases over four months) annualizes to approximately 2,925 cases, suggesting a potential stabilization compared to the 2025 peak. CONCLUSIONS. The 2020–2025 upward trend demonstrates improved administrative surveillance sensitivity but underscores the need to continue strengthening local infection prevention and control (IPC) standards. National strategies should transition from punitive enforcement toward supportive, quality-based funding models. Key interventions include independent IPC audits, antimicrobial stewardship programs, enhanced molecular diagnostics, and strengthened regulatory oversight of outpatient antibiotic circulation.References
Implementation of denominator-based reporting (e.g., patient-days, ventilator-days).
Standardization of case definitions and integration with antimicrobial resistance (AMR) data.
Transition from punitive administrative models toward supportive, quality-based financing mechanisms that tie hospital reimbursement directly to verified infection prevention and control (IPC) indicators.
Strengthening of clinical laboratory infrastructure for rapid molecular pathogen identification.
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