A NATIONAL survey of Canadian long-term care homes found that most facilities are actively monitoring healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), antimicrobial-resistant organisms (AROs), and antibiotic use, though the consistency and scope of these efforts vary. The findings offer a baseline for future surveillance programs that aim to better understand and manage infection risks in vulnerable populations.
The Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program conducted a 12-item cross-sectional survey of long-term care homes (LTCHs) across all provinces and territories between June and November 2023. Of approximately 2,076 eligible facilities, 770 responded, representing 37% of the national total. Most respondents were medium-sized homes with 51 to 200 beds and nearly all (92%) reported having a dedicated infection prevention and control lead on site.
Outbreak surveillance was reported by 95% of respondents, and 91% said they monitor for at least one type of HAI. The most commonly tracked infections included urinary tract infections (79%), Clostridioides difficile (75%), and gastroenteritis (75%). In addition, just over half of the facilities (52%) said they test incoming residents for antimicrobial-resistant organisms during the admission process. Monitoring of systemic antibiotic use was reported by 63% of homes.
The study highlights existing mechanisms that could support broader national surveillance for HAIs and antimicrobial resistance in long-term care, a sector that has lacked standardized, nationwide tracking. However, the authors caution that generalizing the results to all Canadian LTCHs is limited by potential sampling, non-response, and reporting biases.
As healthcare systems continue to confront rising antimicrobial resistance, the development of coordinated monitoring strategies in long-term care settings may be a critical step toward improving infection control and antibiotic stewardship in aging populations.
Reference:
Bartoszko JJ et al. Surveillance for Health Care-Associated Infections, Antimicrobial Resistant Organisms and Antimicrobial use in Canadian Long-Term Care Homes: A Cross-Sectional Survey. J Assoc Med Microbiol Infect Dis Can. 2025;10(2):160-170.
