INFECTION CONTROL

5. INFECTION CONTROL

The effectiveness of infection control measures in the prevention and con- trol of the spread of resistant bacteria has been convincingly demonstrated (Bergogne-Berezin, 1999; Eggimann et al., 2000; Lingnau and Allerberger, 1994; Souweine et al., 2000). Since bacteria can be transmitted on the hands of healthcare workers, the most effective way to prevent patient-to-patient spread of resistant pathogens is by maintaining good hand hygiene (Scott, 2000). Both hand washing and the use of alcohol-based hand disinfectants are effective

274 Hakan Hanberger et al. ways of reducing bacterial carriage on the hands of healthcare workers.

However, alcohol-based hand disinfectants may provide superior efficacy and fewer barriers to healthcare worker compliance (Voss and Widmer, 1997). Pittet et al. (2000) recently published data suggesting a decline in nosocomial infection rates and ORSA prevalence after the introduction of these products into routine use in a large university hospital. Additional infection control measures (e.g., use of gloves and gowns) are necessary to prevent spread of pathogens like ORSA and VRE, which are known to contaminate the environ- ment around infected or colonised patients (Boyce et al., 1997; Rhinehart et al., 1990; Srinivasan et al., 2002). The Center for Disease Control and Prevention publishes literature-based recommendations for the prevention and control of selected resistant bacterial pathogens (www.cdc.gov).

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Chapter 16