Journal profile · Infectious Diseases
Journal of Hospital Infection
ISSN 0195-6701 · eISSN 1532-2939 · W.B. Saunders Ltd · ENGLAND · Bimonthly · Founded 1980
Journal of Hospital Infection: CAS Zone 3 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 3.39; hybrid open access; APC about USD 4,000; median 91 days to acceptance (129 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: easy; 325 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Journal of Hospital Infection is published by W.B. Saunders Ltd and is in Zone 3 of Medicine in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Infection Control in Healthcare, Nosocomial Infections in ICU and Antimicrobial Resistance in Staphylococcus, together about 30.9% of its articles. Its main subfields are Infectious Diseases. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
An Official Journal of the Healthcare Infection SocietyThe Journal of Hospital Infection is the editorially independent scientific publication of the Healthcare Infection Society. The aim of the Journal is to publish high quality research and information relating to infection prevention and control that is relevant to an international audience.The Journal welcomes submissions that relate to all aspects of infection prevention and control in healthcare settings. This includes submissions that:provide new insight into the epidemiology, surveillance, or prevention and control of healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance in healthcare settings;provide new insight into cleaning, disinfection and decontamination;provide new insight into the design of healthcare premises;describe novel aspects of outbreaks of infection;throw light on techniques for effective antimicrobial stewardship;describe novel techniques (laboratory-based or point of care) for the detection of infection or antimicrobial resistance in the healthcare setting, particularly if these can be used to facilitate infection prevention and control;improve understanding of the motivations of safe healthcare behaviour, or describe techniques for achieving behavioural and cultural change;improve understanding of the use of IT systems in infection surveillance and prevention and control.We also welcome submissions that relate to national policies or guidelines, especially where the subject matter is of international relevance.Although our readership is predominantly clinical, we are also pleased to receive basic science submissions that have clinical relevance.The Journal's open access companion title, Infection Prevention in Practice, welcomes a range of submissions providing practical information to healthcare professionals working in infection prevention and control.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Infectious Diseases
Editor-in-chief Martyn Wilkinson BirminghamPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 1 in mainland China (about 1%); most named United Kingdom 51, United States 12, France 9, Ireland 8, Australia 4 (115 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Infection Control in HealthcareMedicine12.6%
- Nosocomial Infections in ICUMedicine9.9%
- Antimicrobial Resistance in StaphylococcusMedicine8.4%
- Antibiotic Resistance in BacteriaBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology7%
- Medical Device Sterilization and DisinfectionImmunology and Microbiology6.1%
- Surgical site infection preventionMedicine5.8%
- Infection Control and VentilationMedicine5.8%
- Bacterial Identification and Susceptibility TestingBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology5.6%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Medicine Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Infectious Diseases | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Public, Environmental & Occupational Health | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Public, Environmental & Occupational Health | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Infectious Diseases | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Medicine Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Infectious Diseases | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Public, Environmental & Occupational Health | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
PubMedDOAJPublisher website
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 3.39LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 3.4Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 5.8LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 5.8Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 1.02LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.33LetPub ·
- h-index
- 107LetPub ·
- h-index
- 177OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 5,641OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.79OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 8.8%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 43.19%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 222LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 11,609 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 299 | 139 | 82 |
| 2025 | 325 | 195 | 751 |
| 2024 | 296 | 150 | 1,731 |
| 2023 | 310 | 184 | 2,817 |
| 2022 | 270 | 187 | 3,253 |
| 2021 | 312 | 196 | 6,457 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with PubMed · to
91 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 61 days – 117 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 11 days (129 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 105 days
- Sample
- 129 articles with submission and acceptance dates (706 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- 3–8 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- EasyLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 4 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 36 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 99 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 6 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 4,000 / EUR 3,740 / GBP 3,200 / JPY 496,120 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 4,000 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare1 items from the author guidelines
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
Article types accepted17, with length limits
- case reports and outbreak reportsCase reports and outbreak reports We recommend that case reports and outbreak reports be submitted to the JHI's sister journal Infection Prevention in Practice …Length not stated
- commentaryThe JHI will consider publishing other article types, such as commentaries or editorials, that are relevant to IPC. We ask authors to check with the editorial o…Length not stated
- editorialThe JHI articles fall into two categories: long-form and short-form articles. We invite articles of the following types:Long-form articlesReviewsWe welcome both…Length not stated
- letters to the editorWe welcome letters relating to, or responding to, recently published items in the journal. Where appropriate, these will be shown to the authors of the original…main text ≤ 800 words
- meta-analysisThe JHI articles fall into two categories: long-form and short-form articles. We invite articles of the following types:Long-form articlesReviewsWe welcome both…Length not stated
- national or society guidelinesNational or society guidelines We encourage authors to contact the office as soon as possible during guideline development to discuss a publishing strategy for …Length not stated
- original research articleThe JHI articles fall into two categories: long-form and short-form articles. We invite articles of the following types:Long-form articlesReviewsWe welcome both…main text ≤ 2,000 words
- original research articlesOriginal research articles are divided into the following sections: Structured summary (250 words maximum) Introduction Methods Results Discussion Conclusions A…Length not stated
- other article typesThe JHI will consider publishing other article types, such as commentaries or editorials, that are relevant to IPC.Length not stated
- practice pointsPractice points These are short peer-reviewed articles that are intended for communication of research, audit or clinical experience (whether positive or negati…Length not stated
- research articleThe JHI articles fall into two categories: long-form and short-form articles. We invite articles of the following types:Long-form articlesReviewsWe welcome both…Length not stated
- research reportThe JHI articles fall into two categories: long-form and short-form articles. We invite articles of the following types:Long-form articlesReviewsWe welcome both…Length not stated
- reviewThe JHI articles fall into two categories: long-form and short-form articles. We invite articles of the following types:Long-form articlesReviewsWe welcome both…main text ≤ 250 words
- review articleThe JHI articles fall into two categories: long-form and short-form articles. We invite articles of the following types:Long-form articlesReviewsWe welcome both…Length not stated
- reviewsLong-form articles Reviews We welcome both general reviews, that summarize the current understanding and research on a topic, and systematic reviews, that provi…Length not stated
- short reportShort report Short reports should be used to extend or broaden the knowledge of previously published original research.Length not stated
- systematic reviewThe JHI articles fall into two categories: long-form and short-form articles. We invite articles of the following types:Long-form articlesReviewsWe welcome both…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI in scientific writing
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper. Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use. Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI to…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Declaration of competing interests and authorship confirmation
Declaration of competing interestsAll authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organisations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential conflicts of interest include employment, consultancies, stock ownership, honoraria, paid expert testimony, patent applications/registrations, and grants or other funding. To do so simp…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests and authorship confirmation
Declaration of competing interestsAll authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organisations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential conflicts of interest include employment, consultancies, stock ownership, honoraria, paid expert testimony, patent applications/registrations, and grants or other funding. To do so simp…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright
Upon acceptance of an article, authors will be asked to complete a 'Journal Publishing Agreement' (see more information on this). An email will be sent to the corresponding author confirming receipt of the manuscript together with a 'Journal Publishing Agreement' form or a link to the online version of this agreement.Subscribers may reproduce tables of contents or prepare lists of articles includi…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
Please visit our Open Access page for more information about open access options on the JHI and the Healthcare Infection Society discount.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review and editorial process
Your submission will be received by the Editorial office.Papers that are submitted without all authors' conflict of interest statements, hand-signed authorship confirmations or without references or other features that do not comply with the instructions to authors will be returned to their authors and will not be considered for publication until they have been corrected and resubmitted.You will r…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprint policy
Preprint policy: preprints can be shared anywhere at any time; sharing preprints will not count as prior publication; authors may post submitted version to preprint server at any time. Model summary
This journal will consider for review articles which have been made available previously as preprints. Please note that preprints can be shared anywhere at any time, in line with Elsevier's sharing policy. Sharing your preprints e.g. on a preprint server will not count as prior publication (see 'Multiple, redundant or concurrent publication' for more information). Additionally, authors may post th…
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- W.B. Saunders Ltd
- Country or region
- ENGLAND
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Bimonthly
- Founded
- 1980
- ISSN
- 0195-6701
- Electronic ISSN
- 1532-2939
- Society / sponsor
- Healthcare Infection Society
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Journal of Hospital Infection
What CAS zone is Journal of Hospital Infection in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Journal of Hospital Infection is in Zone 3 of Medicine, and in Zone 3 of the minor category Infectious Diseases / Public, Environmental & Occupational Health. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Medicine. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Journal of Hospital Infection?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 3.39; CiteScore 5.8, h-index 177.
How long does peer review take at Journal of Hospital Infection?
Based on the dates recorded on 129 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 91 days (interquartile range 61–117 days); authors report an average review time of 3–8 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Easy”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
Where are the editorial board members of Journal of Hospital Infection based?
Of the 115 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 1 (about 1%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United Kingdom (51), United States (12) and France (9). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Journal of Hospital Infection?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Journal of Hospital Infection is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists PubMed and DOAJ; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Journal of Hospital Infection open access, and what is the APC?
Journal of Hospital Infection is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 4,000.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .