Healthcare-associated infections: Think globally, act locally

J. Pierre Marcel, M. Alfa, F. Baquero, J. Etienne, H. Goossens, S. Harbarth, W. Hryniewicz, W. Jarvis, M. Kaku, R. Leclercq, S. Levy, D. Mazel, P. Nercelles, T. Perl, D. Pittet, C. Vandenbroucke-grauls, N. Woodford, V. Jarlier

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

41 Scopus citations

Abstract

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) have been a hot topic for several decades. An understanding of HAIs should be based on an understanding of the organisms that cause infection and determine prevention. Although some improvements in control in hospitals have been recorded, the community setting is now implicated, and the role of microbiology in diagnosis, detection of carriers and strain typing of organisms is evident. As healthcare systems vary widely, prevention strategies must be designed accordingly. Hand hygiene, however, remains applicable in all settings, and the WHO is strongly promoting alcohol-based hand rubs to interrupt transmission. Some countries are only beginning to develop standards, whereas compliance is obligatory in others. Economics and cost factors are common to all countries, and litigation is increasingly a factor in some.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)895-907
Number of pages13
JournalClinical Microbiology and Infection
Volume14
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - 2008
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Alcohol-based hand rub
  • C. difficile
  • Consumer unions
  • ESBL
  • Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs)
  • MRSA
  • Microbiology
  • Prevention strategies
  • Search and destroy
  • VRE

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Microbiology (medical)
  • Infectious Diseases

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Healthcare-associated infections: Think globally, act locally'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this