Hospital and Technical Hygiene - Aims and Needs
A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Health".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2020) | Viewed by 426
Special Issue Editor
Interests: epidemiology; infection prevention; detection of nosocomial infections transmission of nosocomial infections; technical-hygienic monitoring; hospital environment
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Worldwide, healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) constitute a major issue in hospital settings, and considerably increase the morbidity and mortality of patients in hospitals.
Although it is presently assumed that HCAIs predominantly develop endogenously due to patients’ physiological flora, exogenous sources such as contaminated surfaces are increasingly reported as being a potential factor in the transmission of pathogens. However, the impact of the inanimate hospital environment on the spread of nosocomial pathogens remains controversial.
Pathogens causing HCAIs may originate from the patient’s own physiological flora, other patients, HCWs, or the hospital environment.
Environmental persistence has been shown for Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant S. aureus, vancomycin-resistant enterococci, Acinetobacter baumannii, Candida spp., and Clostridium difficile, and therefore these pathogens may be transmitted directly or indirectly through exogenous sources.
Contaminated inanimate surfaces, water-systems, or patient-related items have been identified in outbreaks and in the cross-transmission of pathogens, and hence may contribute to the onset of HCAIs. Additionally, studies have revealed a high level of environmental contamination with relevant pathogens, including multidrug-resistant microorganisms (MDRMs) being present in patients’ surroundings.
This Special Issue welcomes articles from the entire field of hospital and technical hygiene to foster both understanding and practice in the field of infection control, with a focus on the prevention of HCAIs and strengthening the hypothesis that exogenous sources play a major role in the transmission of pathogens in the hospital setting.
Dr. Astrid Mayr
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- infection control
- nosocomial infection
- environmental contamination
- disinfection
- cross-transmission
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