INFECTION CONTROL PRACTICE ACROSS EUROPE: RESULTS OF THE EPD KEY WORDS • European Practice • Haemodialysis • Infection control J.-Y. De Vos 1 , M. Elseviers 2 , M. Harrington 3 , A. Zampieron 4 , H. Vlaminck 5 , P. Ormandy 6 , T. Kafkia 7 for the EDTNA/ERCA Research Board 1 AZ Werken Glorieux, Ronse, Belgium; 2 University of Antwerp, Belgium (EPD project Co-ordinators); 3 Department of Renal Medicine, Salford Royal Hospitals NHS Trust, Salford, UK; 4 Padua University Hospital, Italy; 5 University of Leuven, Belgium; 6 Health Care Practice R&D Unit, Salford, UK; 7 2 nd I.K.A. Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece SUMMARY The European Practice Database (EPD) project, developed by the EDTNA/ERCA Research Board, collects data on renal practice at centre level in different European countries. Results presented in this paper focus on infection control practice in haemodialysis centres from 8 different European countries or regions following data collection from 2002 up to 2004. The prevalence of hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), human immune deficiency (HIV) and methicillin- resistant staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) was studied as well as the use of screening and preventive actions. These results will enable international comparison in practice and will stimulate further research and the development of new practice recommendations. PREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS C POSITIVITY 4.3% of dialysis patients were HCV positive (Figure 1). HCV prevalence was especially still high in Italy (11%), Greece (6%) and Slovakia (6%), lower (2-4%) in Czech Republic, Belgium and Norway and low (1%) in England and Scotland. PREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS B POSITIVITY 1.9% of dialysis patients were HBV positive (Figure 2). HBV prevalence was 3% in the Czech Republic. The prevalence was approximately 2% in Greece, Slovakia, Italy and Belgium and lower than 1% in Norway, England and Scotland. PREVALENCE OF METHICILIN RESISTANT S. AUREUS (MRSA) POSITIVITY 1.3% of dialysis patients tested positive to MRSA at reference date (Figure 3). An especially high prevalence of approximately 4% was seen in Scotland, followed by approximately 2.5% in England and Belgium and below 1% in the other participating countries/ regions. PREVALENCE OF HIV POSITIVITY The prevalence of HIV positivity ranged from 0% to 0.4% per country/region. INTRODUCTION EDTNA/ERCA set up the European Practice Database (EPD) project in order to collect data on renal care in European dialysis centres, aiming to audit local practice and to map routine practice in nephrology throughout Europe (1). In 2002, ERA/EDTA published their European Best Practice Guidelines for haemodialysis (2), including guidelines for infec- tion control. This paper will handle projection of practice in infection control among haemodialysis centres following year 3 of EPD data collection, as presented at the EDTNA/ERCA Vienna Conference 2005. METHODS Data collection was performed using a centre-based question- naire as explained in the referenced EDTNA/ERCA Journal (3). RESULTS Eight European countries or regions are included in this project at present. Participation rate varied from 62% up to 91% of the centres, covering a total of 393 haemodialysis units and a total of 21,861 patients. 38 EDTNA|ERCA JOURNAL 2006 XXXII 1