ObjectiveTo understand the status and pathogenic characteristics of healthcareassociated infection (HAI) in cardiovascular surgical intensive care unit (ICU) patients undergoing heart transplantation.MethodsPatients who underwent heart transplantation in a hospital between July 1, 2013 and June 30, 2014 were performed targeted monitoring.ResultsOf 66 patients undergoing heart transplantation, 16 developed 18 times of  HAI, incidence of HAI was 24.24%. Incidence of HAI and ventilatorassociated pneumonia(VAP) in patients undergoing heart transplantation were both higher than nontransplantation patients (24.24% vs 6.24%, χ2=33.718; 7.58% vs 1.72%, χ2=12.199，respectively, both P＜0.001）.The infection tyes were as follows: lower respiratory tract infection(n=7)， VAP (n=6), bacteremia (n=3), superficial incision infection (n=1), as well as skin and soft tissue infection (n=1). The isolated pathogens were fungus (n=8), Klebsiella pneumoniae(n=3), Staphylococcus aureus (n=2), Acinetobacter baumannii (n=2), Enterobacter cloacae (n=1), Acinetobacter haemolyticus (n=1), and Citrobacter freundii (n=1).ConclusionIncidence of HAI is high in patients undergoing heart transplantation, the main infection type is lower respiratory tract infection, the major pathogen is fungus.