Study: HAIs killed 48,000, cost $8 billion in one year

WASHINGTON — A new study reveals that hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) killed 48,000 people and cost over $8 billion to treat in 2006, according to Medical News Today.

According to the story, the study authored by Doctors Ramanan Laxminarayan and Anup Malani found that in many cases the diseases could have been prevented had better infection control systems been in place.

Laxminarayan said: "Infections that are acquired during the course of a hospital stay cost the United States a staggering amount in terms of lives lost and health care costs. Hospitals and other health care providers must act now to protect patients from this growing menace."

The study focused on the two most serious diseases — sepsis and pneumonia — caused by these "superbugs," and concentrated on infections that were considered preventable, the story stated.

Malani said: "In some cases, relatively healthy people check into the hospital for routine surgery. They develop sepsis because of a lapse in infection control - and they can die."

The study was published in Archives of Internal Medicine, the story added.