An analysis of 12 months admissions to a regional infection unit with an open door admission policy.

All admissions to the Aberdeen Infection Unit over a period of 12 months have been analysed. Forty per cent of the patients proved to have non-infectious conditions although most were referred as having an infectious disease. Those patients with infectious diseases were younger and had a shorter stay in hospital. Also there was seasonal variation in the time of their admission as well as a low mortality rate when compared with older patients with non-infectious disease admitted over the same period. Cross infection did not arise in spite of patients sharing accommodation.