Israeli Health Ministry Reports Mixed Results on Hospital-Acquired Infections in 2025

In 2025, Israeli hospitals recorded approximately 4,000 cases of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), according to a new report from the Ministry of Health published on Thursday. Among general intensive care units (ICUs), Shaare Zedek, Beilinson, and Sheba hospitals reported the highest rates of bloodstream infections, with 9.6, 8.9, and 8.5 cases per 1,000 patient days respectively. The Ministry estimates that without preventive interventions, the number of HAIs could have exceeded 8,000 cases that year.

Professor Yehuda Carmeli, head of the National Center for Infection Prevention, explained that HAIs are complications arising from advanced medical treatments involving invasive procedures such as catheter insertions and complex surgeries. He noted that 5-7% of patients in Western countries acquire infections during hospitalization, which also impose significant economic and operational burdens on healthcare systems. The OECD estimates that 6% of hospitalization costs are due to HAIs.

Since 2015, the Ministry has invested 40-50 million shekels annually in a national program aimed at reducing HAIs and antibiotic resistance through improved hygiene, monitoring, and antibiotic stewardship. This program is credited with preventing 4,668 infections and 1,319 deaths in 2025 compared to its inception, saving over 30,000 hospital days and approximately 300 million shekels.

While bloodstream infections in general ICUs have declined by about 50% since 2012, rates have plateaued between 2022 and 2025, with some pediatric and neonatal ICUs even seeing increases. Eleven hospitals met the national target of fewer than three bloodstream infections per 1,000 patient days in general ICUs, including Shamir Medical Center and Soroka Hospital, which had notably low rates. Conversely, large hospitals like Shaare Zedek and Beilinson had higher infection rates.

The report also highlighted challenges in neonatal intensive care units, where infection rates have risen slightly in recent years and no large hospital met the strict national targets. Urinary tract infections showed declines in internal and surgical wards but remained problematic in some hospitals. Professor Carmeli emphasized that emergency situations and reduced underground shelter capacity pose additional challenges to infection control, citing outbreaks of resistant bacteria in a few hospitals during recent conflicts. He concluded that despite significant improvements, substantial work remains to further reduce HAIs and their impact on patients and the healthcare system.