Air date: January 24, 2010

Host: Jeremy Shere, PhD

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Did you Know? is presented by Wishard Health Services, becoming Eskenazi Health in 2014.

Did you know that the more time you spend in an intensive care unit, the likelier you are get an infection?

According to a recent study of more than 1000 ICUs around the world, more than half of ICU patients are infected. Some of the most common are ventilator-associated pneumonia, bloodstream infections, and urinary tract infections.

The most troubling finding is that infected patients are twice as likely to die as patients without an infection.

The study doesn't explain why ICU infection rates are so high. But other studies have shown that there are simple ways curb ICU infections -- like making sure doctors and nurses wash their hands regularly before treating patients.

And now you know.

Additional Resources:

• Learn more about the world-wide study of ICU-related infections.

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