The EPIC II study, a global one-day prevalence survey of infections in intensive care units (ICUs), found that 51% of patients were infected on the study day. Seventy-one percent of all patients were receiving antibiotics, and 64% of infections were of respiratory origin. Gram-negative organisms were isolated from 62% of infections, Gram-positive from 47%, and fungi from 19%. Infections were more common in certain regions, with Greece and Portugal having the highest rates, while Switzerland, Germany, and the Netherlands had the lowest. Infections were associated with higher mortality rates, with infected patients having more than double the mortality compared to non-infected patients. Infection was independently associated with an increased risk of hospital mortality. The study highlights the high prevalence of infections in ICUs and their association with longer ICU stays and higher mortality. The findings emphasize the need for global awareness and improved infection prevention strategies.The EPIC II study, a global one-day prevalence survey of infections in intensive care units (ICUs), found that 51% of patients were infected on the study day. Seventy-one percent of all patients were receiving antibiotics, and 64% of infections were of respiratory origin. Gram-negative organisms were isolated from 62% of infections, Gram-positive from 47%, and fungi from 19%. Infections were more common in certain regions, with Greece and Portugal having the highest rates, while Switzerland, Germany, and the Netherlands had the lowest. Infections were associated with higher mortality rates, with infected patients having more than double the mortality compared to non-infected patients. Infection was independently associated with an increased risk of hospital mortality. The study highlights the high prevalence of infections in ICUs and their association with longer ICU stays and higher mortality. The findings emphasize the need for global awareness and improved infection prevention strategies.