the administration of imipenem plus ciprofloxacin as initial empirical antibiotic treatment. One-third of nosocomial infections are considered preventable. The CDC estimates 2 million people in the United States are infected annually by hospital-acquired infections, resulting in 99,000 deaths. The most common nosocomial infections are of the urinary tract, surgical site and various pneumonias. An alternative treatment targeting localised infections is the use of irradiation by ultraviolet C. Epidemiology The methods used differ from country to country (definitions used, type of nosocomial infections covered, health units surveyed, inclusion or exclusion of imported infections, etc.), so the international comparisons of nosocomial infection rates should be made with the utmost care. Belgium In Belgium the prevalence of nosocomial infections is about 6.2%. Annually about 125,500 patients become infected by a nosocomial infection, resulting in almost 3000 deaths. The extra costs for the health insurance are estimated to be approximately €400 million/year. France Estimates ranged from 6.7% in 1990 to 7.4% (patients may have several infections). At national level, prevalence among patients in health care facilities was 6.7% in 1996, 5.9% in 2001 and 5.0% in 2006. The rates for nosocomial infections were 7.6% in 1996, 6.4% in 2001 and 5.4% in 2006. In 2006, the most common infection sites were urinary tract infections (30.3%), pneumopathy (14.7%), infections of surgery site (14.2%). Infections of the skin and mucous membrane (10.2%), other respiratory infections (6.8%) and bacterial infections / blood poisoning (6.4%). The rates among adult patients in intensive care were 13.5% in 2004, 14.6% in 2005, 14.1% in 2006 and 14.4% in 2007. Nosocomial infections are estimated to make patients stay in the hospital four to five additional days. Around 2004–2005, about 9,000 people died each year with a nosocomial infection, of which about 4,200 would have survived without this infection. Finland Rate was estimated at 8.5% of patients in 2005. Italy Since 2000, estimates show about a 6.7% infection rate, i.e. between and patients, which caused between and deaths. A survey in Lombardy gave a rate of 4.9% of patients in 2000. Switzerland Estimates range between 2 and 14%. A national survey gave a rate of 7.2% in 2004. United Kingdom In 2012 the Health Protection Agency reported the prevalence rate of hospital-acquired infectionIs in England was 6.4% in 2011, against a rate of 8.2% in 2006. with respiratory tract, urinary tract and surgical site infections the most common types of infections reported.