The Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program (CNISP):
- Last updated: 2025-06-02
CNISP is a national collaboration between the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), the National Microbiology Laboratory (NML), the Association of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Disease (AMMI) Canada, and hospitals across Canada. CNISP conducts prospective surveillance of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and antimicrobial resistant organisms (AROs) to inform evidence-based policies and control measures against antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
CNISP collaborates with sentinel hospitals across the country to collect epidemiologic and microbiology data on HAIs and AROs. Over the years, CNISP has significantly expanded, and it now conducts surveillance in 109 hospitals across 10 provinces and 1 territory. In addition to monitoring HAIs and AROs, CNISP also collects and analyzes data on antimicrobial use, infection prevention and control practices, laboratory practices, viral respiratory illnesses including COVID-19, and emerging threats such as Candida auris.
Additional information on CNISP can be found in our overview publication: The Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program: Keeping an eye on antimicrobial resistance in Canadian hospitals since 1995
Summary of CNISP's current surveillance activities, 1995 to 2025
This figure provides an overview of CNISP’s current surveillance activities from 1995 to 2025. It highlights ongoing and active projects, excluding surveillance initiatives that have concluded.
- SSI = Surgical Site Infection;
- SDS = Simplified Dataset;
- CDI = Clostridioides difficile infections;
- MSSA = Methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus;
- BSI = Bloodstream infections;
- CPO = Carbapenemase-producing organisms;
- AMU = Antimicrobial Use;
- VRI = Viral Respiratory Infections;
- CLABSI = Central-line Associated Bloodstream Infections;
- CSF = Cerebrospinal fluid;
- VRE = Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus;
- MRSA = Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
†CDI Expanded Surveillance in 2015 to include Community-associated, recurrent, and outpatient cases.
Text Description
| Project | Year | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Point Prevalence Survey | 2002 | Data not available on Infobase |
| 2009 | Data not available on Infobase | |
| 2017 | Data not available on Infobase | |
| 2024 | Data not available on Infobase | |
| MRSA | 1995 | MRSA Data available on Infobase |
| VRE | 1999 | VRE Data available on Infobase |
| CSF Shunt SSI | 2000 | CSF Shunt SSI Data available on Infobase |
| CLABSI | 2006 | CLABSI Data available on Infobase |
| CDI | 2007 | CDI Data available on Infobase |
| VRI | 2008 | Data not available on Infobase |
| 2019 | VRI Data available on Infobase | |
| AMU | 2009 | AMU Data available on Infobase |
| CPO | 2010 | CPO Data available on Infobase |
| Paediatric Cardiac SSI | 2010 | Paediatric Cardiac SSI Data available on Infobase |
| Hip and Knee SSI | 2011 | Hip and Knee SSI Data available on Infobase |
| Antibiogram | 2017 | Data not available on Infobase |
| C. auris | 2019 | C. auris Data available on Infobase |
| SDS - CDI | 2022 | SDS - CDI Data available on Infobase |
| Adult Cardiac SSI | 2022 | Data not available on Infobase |
New Simplified Dataset (SDS)
In 2022, CNISP launched the Simplified Dataset (SDS), which allows hospitals outside of the CNISP network to contribute aggregate data to CNISP’s rates. This project is currently being piloted with CDI, with plans to expand to other HAIs and AROs. By combining patient-level data from participating CNISP hospitals and aggregate data from the SDS, CNISP will have a more representative sample of Canadian hospitals, enabling the program to report national and regional rates of AMR with greater accuracy. With almost 200 hospitals actively participating in SDS surveillance, CNISP is rapidly expanding its representativeness across Canada.
CNISP is actively recruiting hospitals to participate in the SDS. If you are not already engaged with the CNISP network and would like to learn more about this new initiative or participate, please email cnisp-pcsin@phac-aspc.gc.ca.
CNISP Representativeness
Bed size and hospital type: Text Description
CNISP hospitals for
The table below presents the participating CNISP hospitals across Canada for the year shown above. Use the dropdown in top right corner of the map to select the year of data you want the map and table to present. By using the free text search bar, you can search and filter the table for a specific hospital name, province, city, bed size or facility type. Single-click the column header to order the entries alphabetically in the selected column. Double-click the column header to order the entries in reverse alphabetical order in the selected column.
| Hospital Name | Province | City | Bed size | Facility Type | CNISP or SDS | Teaching Status |
|---|
CNISP Surveillance Protocols
CNISP surveillance protocols including case definitions are posted on IPAC Canada’s website. For questions, please contact us directly at cnisp-pcsin@phac-aspc.gc.ca.
Recent CNISP Publications
Related Links
Canadian Integrated Program for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance (CIPARS)
Information on antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance in foodborne bacteria along the foodchain can be found on the Canadian Integrated Program for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance (CIPARS) website.
Healthcare infection prevention and control guidelines
Information on guidelines to help prevent the spread of infection in healthcare settings can be found on the Healthcare infection prevention and control guidelines website. These guidelines were developed by the Public Health Agency of Canada with the support of the National Advisory Committee on Infection Prevention and Control (NAC-IPC).