EDITORIAL (Thematic Issue: Infection Control: A Paradigm Shift)

Abstract

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) as infections caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi that occur during the course of receiving medical care [1]. This is a rapidly evolving field with tremendous interest from the public, regulatory bodies and the policymakers alike. The overall annual direct medical costs of HAIs to US hospitals is estimated between 30 and 45 Billion US$ [2]. The majority of HAIs are preventable with adequate planning and follow up. The availability of the details of HAIs in the public domain has resulted in robust infection control measures by medical facilities across the US. The Medicare non-payment for HAIs has also bolstered the overall infection control efforts. In this issue, the reviews are a mix of traditional reviews, dynamic clinical experience and promising new technology. Porkywka and Byers focus on traffic in the operating room [3]. A topic that is well established as a risk for surgical site infection (SSI) with little literature available. Yassin and Gupta review Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in hemodialysis (HD) units. [4] They summarize in detail the infection prevention measures from practical application perspective. Ferrelli and DiCuccio enumerate a successful strategy in promoting hand hygiene at an academic institution in a step-by-step fashion [5]. The experience with hand hygiene adherence exploring the implementation of novel strategy provides a different aspect of a commonly discussed topic. Clair and Colatrella present an excellent review of Infection control measures from the perspective of construction (new and maintenance of existing ones) in a healthcare setup [6]. Kandiah and colleagues review monochloramine use in prevention of Legionella in hospital water system [7]. This combines information on new technology and actual experience as the first medical center in the USA using an innovative delivery system. Qureshi and Yassin discuss the use of Ultraviolet (UV) radiation for environmental surface disinfection [8]. They describe the role of environmental surfaces in the spread of infections and provide updates on the usage of UV radiation in disinfection. Bacteremia in HD patients remains a major problem that requires multidisciplinary approach for its containment. Gupta and Yassin provide an updated concise review regarding prevention of vascular access related infection in HD patients [9]. The article spans through the various guidelines provided by societies ranging from infection control- Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA), Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC), CDC, Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) to primarily renal organization like the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), providing trans-societal, multispecialty recommendations. These articles were chosen to interest general medical or nursing reader as well as the specialists in the field of infection control. These reviews not only provide excellent appraisal of literature but also enumerate practically useful tips for providers working in the field. REFERENCES