Infection Control Market (2026 - 2033)

Infection Control Market Summary

The global infection control market size was valued at USD 55.3 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow from USD 58.5 billion in 2026 to USD 90.0 billion by 2033, at a CAGR of 6.4% from 2026 to 2033. North America dominated the global market with the largest revenue share of 47.2% in 2025. The market is primarily driven by an increasing number of surgical & clinical procedures that require infection prevention.

Technological advancements in infection control have significantly enhanced the ability of healthcare providers to prevent and manage infections. Innovations such as automated disinfection systems, UV light technology, antimicrobial surface coatings, and advanced air filtration systems have demonstrated efficacy in reducing HAIs by up to 30% and is expected to contribute to the market growth. An increase in outsourcing sterilization services and the introduction of advanced sterilizing solutions are further contributing to the growth of the market for infection control. One of the important growth drivers is the increasing number of government initiatives to ensure highly intensive infection prevention. Government organizations are increasingly involved in issuing guidelines to promote awareness and efficient prevention measures globally, which is expected to contribute to market growth throughout the forecast period. For instance, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued guidelines for preventing and controlling pandemic- and epidemic-prone acute respiratory diseases in healthcare. The guidelines range from standard precautions such as hand hygiene and usage of personal protective equipment to guidelines for disinfection and sterilization.

According to the article published by the National Library of Medicine in May 2024, Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are a major global health burden, leading to around 4.25 million deaths annually. These infections lead to millions of outpatient visits each year, particularly affecting high-risk groups such as the elderly, young children, and individuals with chronic conditions such as asthma or heart disease.

Diseases such as pneumonia and infections such as bloodstream, urinary tract, surgical site, and MRSA constitute most hospital-acquired infections. Other major healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) include catheter-associated urinary tract infections, ventilator-associated pneumonia, and catheter-related bloodstream. One of the utmost concerns for the market is HAIs, which affect patient recovery; thereby, mortality rates are being significantly impacted globally. According to an article by NIH in April 2023, HAIs are the most common adverse effects in hospitals, leading to serious health risks, increased morbidity and mortality, and higher costs for patients, families, and healthcare systems. HAIs affect about 3.2% of hospitalized patients in the U.S. and 6.5% in the EU, with global prevalence expected to be even higher. This facilitates the need for effective infection prevention and control solutions.

According to a practical guide published by the WHO on preventing hospital-acquired infections, the increase in hospitalization duration with surgical infections was approximately eight days. These prolonged stays are predicted to significantly contribute to the overall costs incurred during the hospitalization period, thus, raising the clinical urgency for adopting infection prevention measures. It is presumed that prolonged hospital stay is also not economical for the hospitals and healthcare payers due to excessive usage of resources to treat the acquired infection. These additional costs are majorly generated through increased usage of drugs, additional diagnostic studies, and laboratory equipment, creating a resource allocation imbalance.

Market Dynamics

The infection control market is experiencing steady growth due to the increasing focus on preventing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), cross-contamination, and the spread of infectious diseases. Healthcare providers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and other end users are investing in advanced infection prevention solutions to improve safety and maintain regulatory compliance. The market includes a wide range of products and services, such as sterilization and disinfection equipment, infectious waste management systems, personal protective equipment (PPE), disinfectants, safety-enhanced medical devices, and contract sterilization services. Rising awareness of infection prevention practices and growing concerns regarding patient safety are supporting market expansion. In addition, stringent regulatory standards and the increasing incidence of infectious diseases are driving demand for effective infection control measures. Continuous advancements in sterilization, decontamination, and monitoring technologies are further contributing to market growth during the forecast period.

Market Concentration & Characteristics

The market growth stage is high, and the market growth is accelerating. The industry is experiencing high innovation as the market players develop advanced innovations in infection control equipment essential for addressing growing challenges in healthcare environments. For instance, automated disinfection robots thoroughly clean high-touch areas within healthcare facilities. For instance, in March 2024, Seal Shield, a healthcare technology company, showcased Shyld AI at the HIMSS 2024 conference in Orlando, Florida.

The market is characterized by a moderate level of mergers and acquisitions (M&A). M&A is driven by factors such as expanding product portfolios and gaining market share. For instance, in August 2023, STERIS plc. acquired BD’s laparoscopic instrumentation, surgical instrumentation, and sterilization container assets. This acquisition is expected to strengthen, expand, and complement STERIS’s product offerings within the healthcare segment. 

The impact of regulations is high on industry. Organizations such as the CDC, WHO, and local health authorities often develop these regulations. Each organization has different requirements, leading to inconsistencies in practice. For instance, the CDC outlines specific precautions for different types of infections, which may not always align with local regulations or practices, complicating adherence in healthcare facilities.

Analyst Perspective

The infection control market is growing due to the rising focus on patient safety, prevention of healthcare-associated infections, and proper sterilization and disinfection practices across healthcare facilities. Increasing surgical procedures, diagnostic testing, hospital admissions, and healthcare infrastructure expansion are also supporting demand for infection control products and services.

Demand is expected to remain strong for sterilization equipment, disinfectants, protective barriers, endoscope reprocessing systems, and medical waste management solutions. Companies that provide complete infection control support, including equipment, consumables, services, training, and compliance assistance, are expected to have a stronger position in the market.

In the coming years, infection control providers that help healthcare facilities maintain safety standards, reduce infection risks, and improve operational efficiency are likely to gain stronger customer relationships and better market growth opportunities.

Type Insights

Based on type, the consumables segment led the market with the largest revenue share of 60.7% in 2025. The dominant share captured by consumables is predicted to be a consequence of consistent usage and the short life cycle of these products. Consumables are being extensively incorporated in disinfection, sterilization, and other control procedures and are indispensable parts of the procedures mentioned above, accounting for a larger share.

Increasing hospital admission rate is expected to boost the demand for infection control as these patients contribute to the increasing medical waste, boosting the market growth over the forecast period. For instance, in August 2024, CloroxPro launched new plant-based Clorox EcoClean disinfecting wipes. Such innovations foster the development of environment-friendly products and solutions for waste disposal, fueling market growth.

The services segment is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR of 8.6% during the forecast period. This rapid growth is attributed to the high inclination of market players to reduce overall healthcare expenditure and the utilization of benefits involved. It primarily includes cost advantages, increased efficiency of services, enhanced productivity, and a significantly higher focus on the core areas of development, which are critical to a company’s overall profit and growth. The organizations also strive to promote the adoption through issuing guidelines and recommendations for selection, risk assessment, rational usage, removal, and considerations to reduce the risk of transmission of respiratory pathogens to healthcare workers and other medical staff within a healthcare facility. Furthermore, services are segmented into contract sterilization and infectious waste disposal. The contract sterilization segment is again classified into ethylene oxide sterilization, e-beam sterilization, gamma sterilization, and others.

End Use Insights

Based on end-use, the hospital segment led the market with the largest revenue share of 40.3% in 2025 and is also expected to grow at the fastest CAGR over the forecast period from 2026 to 2033. The considerable share is mainly a result of the high probability of getting infected on hospital premises by transmitting blood-borne or respiratory pathogens. Hospital-acquired infections require rigorous control as it is one of the major challenges faced by the market. This has urged public health organizations and hospitals to adopt highly effective control systems. Also, as per research published in NCBI, 40% to 60% of hospital infections were estimated to be at surgical sites.

One of the major concerns is the high probability of infection from pathogens such as drug-resistance, blood-borne, and others in the operating room, because of which the need of the market is growing. For instance, frequent usage of urinary catheters poses a high probability of UTIs and may result in catheter-associated (CA)-UTIs. According to data published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections in women, making up about 25% of all infections. More than half of all women around 50-60% are likely to experience a UTI in their lives. This high prevalence highlights a strong demand for effective treatments and prevention solutions for such infections. These factors are expected to widen the future growth prospects of the market.

The medical devices companies’ segment is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period. Companies such as Medtronic, manufacture a range of single-use medical devices designed to reduce the risk of cross-contamination between patients. These products are typically packaged with sterile barriers and undergo terminal sterilization before being delivered to healthcare facilities.

Regional Insights

North America dominated the infection control market with the largest revenue share of 47.2% in 2025. This is owing to the increasing incidence of hospital-and laboratory-acquired infections. In addition, technological advancements and the local presence of prominent players adopting expansion strategies, such as investment and R&D in infection control equipment, acquisitions, expansions, and new product launches, are expected to fuel the market. Moreover, increasing government support through initiatives and policies encourages end users to adopt advanced and compliant infection control equipment and services.

U.S. Infection Control Market Trends

The Infection control market in the U.S. held the largest share in the North America region in 2025. The U.S. infection control industry is growing due to the high costs and health risks of infections acquired in healthcare settings, known as HAIs, and the rising problem of antibiotic-resistant germs. The government supports infection prevention through strong policies, guidelines, and funding to encourage the use of proven infection control products and practices. The U.S. market is also expected to grow due to increasing incidence of laboratory-acquired infections and the growing availability of technologically advanced control devices. Elsevier Ltd.’s study, “Laboratory-acquired infections and pathogen escapes worldwide between 2000 and 2021: a scoping review,” published in December 2023, highlighted that 309 individuals were affected by laboratory-acquired infections from 2000 to 2021. Of the total infections, around 78.6% of individuals were from North America

Europe Infection Control Market Trends

Europe infection control market held a substantial share in 2024. According to a report by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) in May 2024, each year, approximately 4.3 million patients in hospitals across the EU/EEA acquire at least one healthcare-associated infection (HAI), highlighting a significant challenge to patient safety.

Germany infection control market dominated the Europe market with the largest revenue share in 2024, due to the growing incidence of HAIs owing to the rising number of surgeries & hospital admissions in Germany. According to an article published by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) in February 2024, an estimated 400,000 to 600,000 patients experience HAI annually, resulting in approximately 10,000 to 20,000 fatalities. Furthermore, increasing government support through programs and initiatives encourages healthcare end users to adopt infection control equipment and services.

Asia Pacific Infection Control Market Trends

Asia Pacific is expected to expand at the fastest CAGR of 7.4% over the forecast period from 2026 to 2033, owing to the growing number of outsourcing organizations, growing expenditure on healthcare, and evolving healthcare standards and infrastructure unprecedentedly across this region. Government organizations are focusing more on improving infection control standards, as it is also one of the important factors contributing to the growth of the Asia Pacific region.

China's infection control market held the largest share in 2024, owing to the increasing number of laboratory-acquired infections in the country, which is expected to improve the demand for technologically advanced infection control devices. Some of the notable players operating in the market are Shinva Medical Instrument Co., Ltd.; Galbino Technology Inc.; and Belimed. These players are investing in clinical trials and partnerships to develop technologically advanced products.

The India infection control market is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period. This is attributed to factors such as inadequate hygiene standards and hospitals witnessing substantially increased patient volumes.

Key Infection Control Company Insights

The competition is marked by the extensive implementation of collaborative strategies by major companies such as Advanced Sterilization Products, STERIS, and 3M, which accounts for their dominant market share. These players are highly focused on adopting competitive strategies such as mergers and acquisitions, new product development initiatives, and geographical expansion.

• STERIS Life Sciences offers a comprehensive range of infection control solutions, including sterilization equipment, disinfectants, and cleanroom products, designed to help pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies maintain sterile environments and comply with global regulatory standards.

• Belimed provides a comprehensive range of infection control solutions, including washer-disinfectors, steam sterilizers, and ultrasonic washers, designed to ensure the safe and efficient reprocessing of medical instruments in healthcare facilities.

Competitive Benchmarking

Recent Developments

• In July 2024, Midmark Corporation launched its next-generation M11 and M9 steam sterilizers, designed for enhanced durability and ease of use. These sterilizers feature integrated capabilities to improve instrument processing and compliance documentation efficiencies.

• In January 2023, W&H Dentalwerk launched the Lexa Plus sterilizer, a pre-vacuum, Class B sterilizer designed for the North American market.

• In March 2023, Getinge, a Swedish medical technology company, acquired Ultra Clean Systems Inc. to expand its ultrasonic cleaning technology portfolio for surgical instruments, especially for complex and robotic surgery tools.

Infection Control Market Report Scope

Global Infection Control Market Report Segmentation

This report forecasts revenue growth and provides an analysis of the latest trends in each of the sub-segments from 2021 to 2033. For the purpose of this report, Grand View Research has segmented the global infection control market on the basis of type, end use, and region:

• Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2021- 2033)

  • Equipment

    • Disinfectors

      • Washers

      • Flushes

      • Endoscope Reprocessors

    • Sterilization Equipment

      • Heat Sterilization Equipment

      • Low Temperature Sterilization Equipment

      • Radiation Sterilization Equipment

      • Filtration Sterilization Equipment

      • Liquid Sterilization Equipment

    • Others

  • Services

    • Contract Sterilization

      • Ethylene Oxide Sterilization

      • E-beam Sterilization

      • Gamma Sterilization

      • Others

    • Infectious Waste Disposal

  • Consumables

    • Infectious Waste Disposal

    • Disinfectants

    • Sterilization Consumables

    • Safety enhanced medical devices

    • Personal Protective Equipment

    • Others

• End Use Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2021- 2033)

  • Hospitals

  • Medical Device Companies

  • Clinical Laboratories

  • Pharmaceutical Laboratories

  • Others

• Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2021- 2033)

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

    • Mexico

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • UK

    • France

    • Italy

    • Spain

    • Denmark

    • Sweden

    • Norway

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • Japan

    • India

    • South Korea

    • Australia

    • Thailand

  • Latin America

    • Brazil

    • Argentina

  • Middle East & Africa

    • South Africa

    • Saudi Arabia

    • UAE

    • Kuwait 

Research Methodology

Segment Definition

Estimation Model 

Model Details

This research methodology outlines the process for estimating the size of the global infection control market for the period from 2021 to 2033. The study covers key infection control products, equipment, consumables, and services used across hospitals, clinics, ambulatory surgical centers, diagnostic laboratories, pharmaceutical and biotechnology facilities, long-term care facilities, and other healthcare settings.

The infection control market includes sterilization products, cleaning and disinfection products, protective barriers, infectious waste management solutions, infection control services, and related consumables. The objective is to develop a robust and defensible market estimate through a bottom-up and usage-based calculation approach, supported by primary industry validation.

A triangulated market sizing approach was used, combining:

• Hospital bed and infectious waste generation-based analysis

• Healthcare facility-based infection control spending analysis

• Product and consumables utilization analysis

• Procedure and sterilization cycle-based analysis

• Primary research validation with industry stakeholders

Step-By-Step Market Estimation Process

Hospital Bed & Infectious Waste-Based Market Model

This model estimates the infection control market by calculating infectious waste generation across healthcare facilities and the associated treatment, handling, and disposal cost.

• Step 1: Country-level population data for 2021–2025 was collected from international statistical databases and national statistical agencies.

• Step 2: Hospital beds per person were identified using healthcare infrastructure data, hospital statistics, and country-level healthcare databases.

• Step 3: The total number of hospital beds was calculated by multiplying the country-level population by hospital beds per person.

• Step 4: Average medical waste generated per hospital bed per day was applied to estimate total annual medical waste generation.

• Step 5: The infectious waste share was applied to estimate the portion of total medical waste classified as infectious, hazardous, or requiring controlled treatment.

• Step 6: Infectious waste volume was multiplied by the average cost of infectious waste treatment, collection, handling, transportation, or disposal.

• Step 7: Country-level estimates were aggregated to regional and global levels.

Healthcare Facility-Based Infection Control Spending Model

This model estimates infection control spending across different healthcare and life sciences facilities.

• Step 1: The number of facilities by country was identified using hospital databases, government health statistics, licensing records, healthcare directories, and proprietary databases.

• Step 2: Facilities were classified into hospitals, clinics, ambulatory surgical centers, diagnostic laboratories, long-term care facilities, pharmaceutical facilities, biotechnology facilities, and other healthcare settings.

• Step 3: Average annual infection control spending per facility was estimated based on facility size, patient volume, bed capacity, procedure intensity, sterilization requirements, and procurement benchmarks.

• Step 4: Spending was mapped across key infection control categories, including sterilization products, disinfectants, cleaning supplies, protective barriers, waste management, and outsourced infection control services.

• Step 5: Country-level market size was calculated by multiplying the number of facilities by average annual infection control spending per facility.

• Step 6: Facility-level estimates were aggregated to generate regional and global market values.

Segment-Level Market Allocation

After deriving the total infection control market size, the market was split across key segments using facility-level spending, product consumption patterns, procedure volumes, procurement benchmarks, and company revenue mapping.

Primary Research Validation

Primary interviews were conducted to validate the assumptions used in the market sizing model. Respondents included hospital procurement managers, infection control officers, CSSD managers, waste management service providers, distributors, manufacturers, and healthcare facility administrators.

• The interviews were used to validate:

• Average infection control spending per facility

• Medical and infectious waste generation assumptions

• Sterilization and disinfection product usage

• Average cost per sterilization / disinfection cycle

• Product pricing and procurement patterns

• Public-private facility differences

• Regional adoption of advanced infection control products

• Market growth drivers and forecast assumptions.

Final Market Triangulation

The final global infection control market size was derived through triangulation of the following bottom-up and usage-based models:

• Hospital Bed & Infectious Waste-Based Market Model

• Healthcare Facility-Based Infection Control Spending Model

• Product & Consumables Utilization Model

• Procedure & Sterilization Cycle-Based Model

• Primary Research Validation

The weighted output from these models was used to generate the final historical estimates for 2021–2025 and forecast projections for 2026–2033.

Final estimates were adjusted for hospital infrastructure expansion, procedure volume growth, infectious waste generation, sterilization demand, disinfection frequency, regulatory compliance intensity, infection prevention protocols, product pricing trends, and adoption of advanced sterilization and disinfection technologies.

 Delivered Customizations

This report has been delivered with the following In-depth customizations