ObjectiveTo investigate risk factors for healthcareassociated infection(HAI) in patients with craniocerebral operation, and provide reference for the  prevention and control of HAI.MethodsA total of 4 246 cases of craniocerebral surgery in a neurosurgery department  from January  2010 to December 2012 were enrolled in the study,  the risk factors for HAI were analyzed.ResultsOf 4 246 cases of craniocerebral surgery, 393 patients developed 446 times of postoperative HAI,HAI incidence rate was 9.26%, case infection rate was  10.50%, which were higher than  incidence (2.02%) and case infection rate (3.02%) of HAI of all hospital during the same period,the difference was statistically significant (χ2=811.06, 629.30,respectively, P<0.001). The major infection site was  central nervous system (56.50%), followed by respiratory system (27.36%). Unconditional univariate logistic regression analysis showed that sex, age, communityacquired infection, primary disease, operative time, length of stay in intensive care unit (ICU) before infection,  the number of surgery, invasive procedures and nasogastric tube, the difference was statistically significant (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that sex, elderly patients, congenital brain diseases, stay in ICU>7 d, antimicrobial use >7 d, central venous and urinary tract catheterization, invasive ventilator were risk factors for HAI in patients with craniocerebral operation.ConclusionThe incidence of HAI in patients with craniocerebral operation is high,effective preventive and control measures according to risk factors  should be strengthened to reduce the incidence of HAI.