How effective are monthly departmental tracer surveys? A five-year retrospective study of 138 surveys in 96 departments.

BACKGROUND: Repeat departmental-wide surveys are commonly employed for infection-control. There remains debate concerning their cost-effectiveness. AIM OF THE STUDY: To measure the impact of repeat departmental-wide surveys in major in-patient departments (IPD) and ambulatory facilities (AF) in a tertiary care hospital. DESIGN: Retrospective study of 138 surveys conducted in 96 departments over a five-year period. METHODS: Two itemized questionnaires were designed to assess the most frequently inadequately-adhered-to infection control measures: one for IPD (with 21 items), the other for AF (with 17 items). RESULTS: A total of 72 surveys were conducted in 49 IPDs, of which 39 (54%) were repeat surveys, and 66 surveys in 47 AFs, of which 33 (50%) were repeat surveys. The baseline rate of adherence/department was 71%±14 for the IPD, with an increase from the first to the last survey to 82%±13 (p=0.037). In 15/21 measured infection control items, adherence improved. Adherence to infection control items was lower at baseline in the AFs than in the IPDs (63±27), with an increase to 76±20 (NS). Although adherence improved for nine items, it deteriorated in another eight, producing an overall statistically unchanged outcome. CONCLUSION: Repeat whole-department surveys contribute moderately to increased adherence to infection control guidelines. Ambulatory facilities demonstrate lower rates of adherence to infection control guidelines and are less receptive to educational measures.

The roles of bedside nurses in Japan in antimicrobial stewardship.

BACKGROUND: In the United States and the United Kingdom, the roles of nurses in antimicrobial stewardship (AS) have been described in guidelines. However, in Japan, no previous studies have clarified nurses' recognition of the role of AS. Moreover, how the AS roles were implemented among nurses in Japan has not been fully clarified. The objectives of this study were to determine the perceptions of infection control nurses (ICNs) in Japan regarding the AS role of nurses and the extent of nurses' practice. METHODS: A questionnaire survey of ICNs was conducted. RESULTS: Four hundred responses (response rate, 30.8%) were analyzed. Some of the items that have already gained consensus as the AS role of nurses were not recognized as the AS role of nurses by ICNs or had low implementation rates in Japan. Meanwhile, both recognition and implementation rates were high for the 5 types of care proposed. DISCUSSION: The reason the ICNs agreed that these 5 types of care are AS roles for nurses is that they know that such care can prevent infection and thereby obviate the need for antimicrobial administration. However, whether nurses themselves understand that these are roles for nurses in AS is unclear. To promote AS in Japan, communicating the fact that nurses already contribute to AS, strengthening nurse education, and improving staffing are desirable.

Métodos para vigilância de infecção do sítio cirúrgico pós-alta: revisão integrativa / Post-discharge surveillance methods for infection of the surgical site: integrative review / Post-discharge surveillance methods for infection of the surgical site: integrative review / Métodos para control de infecciones del sitio quirúrgico posterior al alta: revisión integradora

Resumo Objetivo Identificar os métodos utilizados na vigilância de infecção do sítio cirúrgico pós-alta hospitalar. Métodos Revisão integrativa, realizada nas bases de dados PubMed, Cinahl, Lilacs, Embase e Web of Science, com estudos publicados até julho de 2022, utilizando os descritores controlados: Infecção da Ferida Cirúrgica, Vigilância, Alta do Paciente, Controle de Infecções e Profissionais Controladores de Infecções. Foram identificados 2.054 títulos relevantes e destes 17 foram selecionados. Utilizou-se análise descritiva e síntese do conhecimento produzido em cada estudo. Resultados Dos 17 estudos selecionados, dez foram encontrados na base de dados Pubmed, três na Cinahl e Embase e um na Lilacs. Todos foram publicados na língua inglesa e em periódicos internacionais de localidades diversas. Quanto aos métodos de vigilância utilizados para identificar a infecção do sítio cirúrgico após a alta hospitalar nove estudos usaram chamadas telefônicas, seis utilizaram revisão de prontuários, quatro usaram vigilância prospectiva e acompanhamento ambulatorial, e, outros realizaram avaliação clínica, consulta ao banco de dados do seguro de saúde, comunicação virtual, programa de vigilância ativa e tecnologia de smartphone. A maioria (64,7%) dos estudos selecionados utilizaram mais de um método de vigilância. Conclusão Os principais métodos identificados para a vigilância da infecção do sítio cirúrgico pós-alta foram chamadas telefônicas, revisão de prontuários, vigilância prospectiva e acompanhamento ambulatorial, sendo a combinação dos métodos uma estratégia comumente utilizada.

Resumen Objetivo Identificar los métodos utilizados en el control de infecciones del sitio quirúrgico posterior al alta hospitalaria. Métodos Revisión integradora, realizada en las bases de datos PubMed, Cinahl, Lilacs, Embase y Web of Science, con estudios publicados hasta julio de 2022, utilizando los descriptores controlados: Infección de la Herida Quirúrgica, Control, Alta del Paciente, Control de Infecciones y Profesionales Controladores de Infecciones. Se identificaron 2.054 títulos relevantes, de los cuales se seleccionaron 17. Se utilizó un análisis descriptivo y síntesis del conocimiento producido en cada estudio. Resultados De los 17 estudios seleccionados, diez fueron encontrados en la base de datos Pubmed, tres en Cinahl y Embase y uno en Lilacs. Todos fueron publicados en idioma inglés y en periódicos internacionales de distintos lugares. Con relación a los métodos de control utilizados para identificar infecciones del sitio quirúrgico después del alta hospitalaria, nueve estudios usaron llamadas telefónicas, seis utilizaron revisión de historias clínicas, cuatro usaron control prospectivo y seguimiento ambulatorio y otros realizaron evaluación clínica, consulta al banco de datos del seguro médico, comunicación virtual, programa de control activo y tecnología de smartphone. La mayoría (64,7 %) de los estudios seleccionados utilizó más de un método de control. Conclusión Los principales métodos identificados para el control de infecciones del sitio quirúrgico posterior al alta fueron llamadas telefónicas, revisión de historias clínicas, control prospectivo y seguimiento ambulatorio, y la combinación de los métodos fue una estrategia comúnmente utilizada.

Abstract Objective To identify post hospital discharge surveillance methods used in infection of the surgical wound. Methods Integrative review carried out in the PubMed, Cinahl, Lilacs, Embase, and Web of Science databases with studies published until July 2022, using controlled descriptors: Surgical Wound Infection, Surveillance, Patient Discharge, Infections Control, and Infection Control Practitioners. We identified 2,054 relevant records, and from that, we selected 17 studies. We used descriptive analysis and knowledge synthesis in each study. Results From the 17 selected studies, we found ten in the Pubmed database, three from Cinahl and Embase, and one from Lilacs. All of them published in English and international journals from different locations. Regarding the surveillance methods used to identify infection in the surgical wound post-hospital discharge, nine studies used telephone calls, six used medical records, four used prospective surveillance and outpatient follow-up, and others carried out a clinical evaluation, consultation of the health insurance database, virtual communication, active surveillance program, and smartphone technology. The majority (64.7%) of the selected studies used more than one surveillance method. Conclusion The main methods identified for infection surveillance of the surgical wound post-discharge were telephone calls, review of medical records, prospective surveillance, and outpatient follow-up, being the combination of methods a commonly used strategy.

Citywide preparedness for a pandemic: A crosssectional survey of knowledge, attitudes, and practices about respiratory infection prevention in Bogotá, Colombia. / Preparación de la ciudad para la pandemia: una encuesta de conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas sobre la prevención de infecciones respiratorias en Bogotá, Colombia

INTRODUCTION: Healthcare personnel plays an important role in the prevention of acute respiratory infections in hospital settings. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to establish the level of knowledge about respiratory virus infections and the attitudes and practices among healthcare workers, leaders of infection control committees in hospitals of Bogotá, Colombia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used a self-administered questionnaire of 28 items during the monthly meeting sponsored by the local health authority. "Yes or no" and "true or false" questions were applied to measure knowledge. Attitudes and practices were measured with a Likert-type scale according to the agreement degree. RESULTS: We surveyed 70 healthcare workers. Respondents demonstrated a good level of knowledge as 80% of them answered correctly more than five questions. A total of 54.4% showed a low degree of agreement when asked if their institutions have the policy to stay home when they are sick with respiratory symptoms and 67.1% never or rarely remain at home under such conditions. CONCLUSION: Healthcare worker leaders of infection control committees in Bogotá's ospitals have adequate knowledge about the prevention of seasonal respiratory viruses. There is a need for implementing urgent sick leave policies as a measure to prevent the spread of potential coronavirus infections in hospitals.

Introducción. El personal de salud juega un papel importante en la prevención de la diseminación de los virus respiratorios en los hospitales. Objetivo. Establecer el nivel de conocimiento y determinar las actitudes y prácticas en relación con los virus respiratorios entre los encargados de los comités de infecciones de los hospitales de Bogotá. Materiales y métodos. Los participantes respondieron una encuesta de 28 ítems durante una de las sesiones mensuales del comité de infecciones de la ciudad. Se midió el conocimiento y se formularon preguntas sobre las actitudes y las prácticas utilizando una escala de tipo Likert para evaluar la conformidad. Resultados. Se encuestaron 70 trabajadores de salud. Los participantes tenían un buen nivel de conocimiento, ya que el 80 % de los respondientes tuvieron cinco o más respuestas correctas. El 54,4 % mostró un bajo nivel de conformidad en cuanto a si susinstituciones tenían una política de quedarse en casa en caso de síntomas respiratorios y 64,1 % nunca o casi nunca se queda en casa cuando presenta dichos síntomas. Conclusión. Los trabajadores de la salud que encabezan los comités de infecciones de los hospitales de Bogotá tienen un adecuado conocimiento de la prevención de los virus respiratorios. Deben implementarse políticas de quedarse en casa para el personal con síntomas gripales, con el fin de prevenir la potencial diseminación de virus en los hospitales.

Interest in Working as an Infection Prevention and Control Nurse and Perception of This Position by Nursing Students-Results of a Pilot Study.

Background: The results of several studies in the area of infection control in Poland are disturbing. The situation may be shaped by many factors. However, the key factor for effective infection prevention and control is dedicated personnel, especially infection prevention and control nurses (IPCN). Nevertheless, based on the available published data and the authors' experience, in many Polish hospitals infection control is not sufficiently appreciated by managers, it is consequently underfunded, and treated by medical staff as a nuisance. This may influence the nurses willingness to work as IPCN. The aim of the study was to assess the nursing students' perception of the work of IPCN and their interest in employment in this position, as well as the potential reasons for choosing this particular specialization. Materials and methods: The study was conducted using the authors' anonymous questionnaire conducted among nursing students of three Polish universities. The questionnaire was prepared by a panel of experts working in the field of infection control, including nurses working both as academic teachers and infection control nurses in hospitals. The design of the questionnaire was based on the authors' own experience, knowledge, and exchanging information with the practitioners in infection control in Poland. The reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed by the Cronbach alpha test. The raw alpha values and 95% CI for two main questions concerning opinion were: 0.76 (0.72-0.81) and 0.69 (0.63-0.75). Results: The study was conducted among 253 students, mostly women (98%) of full-time (31.4%) and extramural (68.6%) studies. The age range of the respondents was 20-58 years, median = 26 years, IQR = 19 years. To the key item in the questionnaire, i.e., "Would you like to work as an IPCN?", 84.6% (214 respondents; first group) of the respondents answered "no" and 15.4% (39 respondents, second group) answered "yes". The results revealed no significant differences between the two groups concerning the position responsibilities and appreciation by other medical staff. Additionally, for respondents willing to work as ICPN the most important issues were the influence on patient safety, expected salary, and possibility of professional development; for the respondents from the other group the most important issue was lack of contact with patients. The results concerning the students' opinion on the perception of IPCN by medical personnel proved to be peculiar. About 80% of the respondents confirmed the IPCNs' key role in ensuring patient and personnel safety, while only 31.6% declared their high standing in the hospital hierarchy. Conclusions: The obtained results indicate the necessity of thorough studies on the organization and structure of infection control in Polish hospitals, with a particular emphasis on building a positive perception of IPCNs by medical staff, as well as implementing an education campaign on infection control in the hospital environment.

Citywide preparedness for a pandemic: A cross-sectional survey of knowledge, attitudes, and practices about respiratory infection prevention in Bogotá, Colombia / Preparación de la ciudad para la pandemia: una encuesta de conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas sobre la prevención de infecciones respiratorias en Bogotá, Colombia

Introduction: Healthcare personnel plays an important role in the prevention of acute respiratory infections in hospital settings. Objective: Our aim was to establish the level of knowledge about respiratory virus infections and the attitudes and practices among healthcare workers, leaders of infection control committees in hospitals of Bogotá, Colombia. Materials and methods: We used a self-administered questionnaire of 28 items during the monthly meeting sponsored by the local health authority. "Yes or no" and "true or false" questions were applied to measure knowledge. Attitudes and practices were measured with a Likert-type scale according to the agreement degree. Results: We surveyed 70 healthcare workers. Respondents demonstrated a good level of knowledge as 80% of them answered correctly more than five questions. A total of 54.4% showed a low degree of agreement when asked if their institutions have the policy to stay home when they are sick with respiratory symptoms and 67.1% never or rarely remain at home under such conditions. Conclusion: Healthcare worker leaders of infection control committees in Bogotá's hospitals have adequate knowledge about the prevention of seasonal respiratory viruses. There is a need for implementing urgent sick leave policies as a measure to prevent the spread of potential coronavirus infections in hospitals.

Introducción. El personal de salud juega un papel importante en la prevención de la diseminación de los virus respiratorios en los hospitales. Objetivo. Establecer el nivel de conocimiento y determinar las actitudes y prácticas en relación con los virus respiratorios entre los encargados de los comités de infecciones de los hospitales de Bogotá. Materiales y métodos. Los participantes respondieron una encuesta de 28 ítems durante una de las sesiones mensuales del comité de infecciones de la ciudad. Se midió el conocimiento y se formularon preguntas sobre las actitudes y las prácticas utilizando una escala de tipo Likert para evaluar la conformidad. Resultados. Se encuestaron 70 trabajadores de salud. Los participantes tenían un buen nivel de conocimiento, ya que el 80 % de los respondientes tuvieron cinco o más respuestas correctas. El 54,4 % mostró un bajo nivel de conformidad en cuanto a si sus instituciones tenían una política de quedarse en casa en caso de síntomas respiratorios y 64,1 % nunca o casi nunca se queda en casa cuando presenta dichos síntomas. Conclusión. Los trabajadores de la salud que encabezan los comités de infecciones de los hospitales de Bogotá tienen un adecuado conocimiento de la prevención de los virus respiratorios. Deben implementarse políticas de quedarse en casa para el personal con síntomas gripales, con el fin de prevenir la potencial diseminación de virus en los hospitales.

Impact of national policy on hand hygiene promotion activities in hospitals in Korea.

BACKGROUND: After the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus outbreak in Korea in 2015, the Government established a strategy for infection prevention to encourage infection control activities in hospitals. The new policy was announced in December 2015 and implemented in September 2016. The aim of this study is to evaluate how infection control activities improved within Korean hospitals after the change in government policy. METHODS: Three cross-sectional surveys using the WHO Hand Hygiene Self-Assessment Framework (HHSAF) were conducted in 2013, 2015, and 2017. Using a multivariable linear regression model, we analyzed the change in total HHSAF score according to survey year. RESULTS: A total of 32 hospitals participated in the survey in 2013, 52 in 2015, and 101 in 2017. The number of inpatient beds per infection control professionals decreased from 324 in 2013 to 303 in 2015 and 179 in 2017. Most hospitals were at intermediate or advanced levels of progress (90.6% in 2013, 86.6% in 2015, and 94.1% in 2017). In the multivariable linear regression model, total HHSAF score was significantly associated with hospital teaching status (ß coefficient of major teaching hospital, 52.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 8.9 to 96.4; P = 0.018), beds size (ß coefficient of 100 beds increase, 5.1; 95% CI, 0.3 to 9.8; P = 0.038), and survey time (ß coefficient of 2017 survey, 45.1; 95% CI, 19.3 to 70.9; P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: After the new national policy was implemented, the number of infection control professionals increased, and hand hygiene promotion activities were strengthened across Korean hospitals.

Accelerating reductions in antimicrobial resistance: Evaluating the effectiveness of an intervention program implemented by an infectious disease consultant.

OBJECTIVES: Very few infectious disease physicians exist in Japan. A concerted infection control intervention program involving an antimicrobial stewardship team and multiple components was designed and implemented in multiple hospitals from 2010. Here, we aimed to retrospectively evaluate the intervention program's effectiveness. METHODS: The frequencies of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa were monitored in four acute-care hospitals. The primary goal of the program was to accelerate the speed of decline of such resistance. A quasi-experimental study design was used to detect accelerated rates of increases in drug susceptibility, comparing time before and after the intervention. RESULTS: Both MRSA and drug-resistant P. aeruginosa exhibited decreasing trends (p < 0.01 for all four hospitals and all bacterial cultures). Compared with the whole of Japan, the decreasing trends for MRSA and drug-resistant P. aeruginosa in the four hospitals accelerated after the intervention program was established; notably, the rate of MRSA decrease increased by 50%-150% of its original value. CONCLUSIONS: The intervention program successfully reduced the proportion of drug resistance in the four hospitals. Centering on systematic education, decision-making support, and implementation and oversight by an infectious disease consultant, this program was shown to be effective where specialist physicians are scarce.

Barriers to investigating and reporting nosocomial outbreaks to health authorities in São Paulo, Brazil: a mixed methods approach.

BACKGROUND: Not all nosocomial outbreaks (NOs) are reported to health authorities (HAs). AIM: To identify barriers to investigating and reporting NOs to HAs. METHODS: A mixed methods approach was performed with a convergent parallel design. The quantitative and qualitative branches of the study were a statewide (electronic) survey and focus groups (FGs), respectively. Infection control practitioners (ICPs) working in the State of São Paulo, Brazil were recruited. FINDINGS: Eighty-five ICPs were enrolled in the survey and 22 ICPs were enrolled in the FGs. Barriers to investigating and reporting NOs included: (i) difficulty in translating outbreak investigation knowledge into practice; (ii) weak planning in outbreak investigation process; (iii) organizational culture and context; (iv) lack of awareness about reporting; and (v) lack of autonomy of ICPs to report outbreaks to HAs. CONCLUSION: HAs could overcome these barriers by revising their strategies to work with healthcare services, as well as delivering translational educational programmes to support improvement in knowledge and skills for NO investigation.

Device-associated infection rates in intensive care units of Brazilian hospitals: datos de la Comunidad Científica Internacional de Control de Infecciones Nosocomiales / Tasa de infecciones asociadas a aparatos en unidades de cuidados intensivos de hospitales brasileños: datos de la Comunidad Científica Internacional de Control de Infecciones Nosocomiales

OBJECTIVES: To measure device-associated infection (DAI) rates, microbiological profiles, bacterial resistance, extra length of stay, and attributable mortality in intensive care units (ICUs) in three Brazilian hospitals that are members of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC). METHODS: Prospective cohort surveillance of DAIs was conducted in five ICUs in three city hospitals in Brazil by applying the definitions of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System (CDC-NNIS). RESULTS: Between April 2003 and February 2006, 1 031 patients hospitalized in five ICUs for an aggregate 10 293 days acquired 307 DAIs, a rate of 29.8 percent or 29.8 DAIs per 1 000 ICU-days. The ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) rate was 20.9 per 1 000 ventilator-days; the rate for central venous catheter-associated bloodstream infections (CVC-BSI) was 9.1 per 1 000 catheter-days; and the rate for catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) was 9.6 per 1 000 catheter-days. Ninety-five percent of all Staphylococcus aureus DAIs were caused by methicillin-resistant strains. Infections caused by Enterobacteriaceae were resistant to ceftriaxone in 96.7 percent of cases, resistant to ceftazidime in 79.3 percent of cases, and resistant to piperacillin-tazobactam in 85.7 percent of cases. Pseudomonas aeruginosa DAIs were resistant to ciprofloxacin in 71.3 percent of cases, resistant to ceftazidime in 75.5 percent of cases, and resistant to imipenem in 27.7 percent of cases. Patients with DAIs in the ICUs of the hospitals included in this study presented extra mortality rates of 15.3 percent (RR 1.79, P = 0.0149) for VAP, 27.8 percent (RR 2.44, P = 0.0004) for CVC-BSI, and 10.7 percent (RR 1.56, P = 0.2875) for CAUTI. CONCLUSION: The DAI rates were high in the ICUs of the Brazilian hospitals included in this study. Patient safety can be improved through the implementation of an ...

OBJETIVOS: Determinar las tasas de infección asociadas a aparatos (IAA), los perfiles microbiológicos, la resistencia bacteriana, la estancia hospitalaria adicional y la mortalidad atribuible en las unidades de cuidados intensivos (UCI) de tres hospitales brasileños miembros de la Comunidad Científica Internacional de Control de Infecciones Nosocomiales (INICC). MÉTODOS: Se realizó una vigilancia prospectiva de cohorte de las IAA en cinco UCI de tres hospitales urbanos de Brasil, según las definiciones del Sistema Nacional de Vigilancia de Infecciones Nosocomiales de los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC-NNIS) de los Estados Unidos de América. RESULTADOS: Entre abril de 2003 y febrero de 2006 se hospitalizaron 1 031 pacientes en las cinco UCI estudiadas, con un total de 10 293 días en los que se adquirieron 307 IAA, para una tasa de 29,8 por ciento (29,8 IAA por 1 000 días-UCI). Las tasas fueron: de 20,9 casos por 1 000 días-ventilador en neumonía asociada a respiradores (NAR); de 9,1 por 1 000 días-catéter en infecciones circulatorias asociadas con cateterismo venoso central (IC-CVC); y de 9,6 por 1 000 días-catéter en infecciones urinarias asociadas con el uso de catéteres (IUAC). De las IAA causadas por Staphylococcus aureus, 95 por ciento se debieron a cepas resistentes a la meticilina. De las infecciones causadas por Enterobacteriaceae, 96,7 por ciento fueron resistentes a la ceftriaxona, 79,3 por ciento a la ceftazidima y 85,7 por ciento a la combinación piperacilina-tazobactam. De las IAA causadas por Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 71,3 por ciento resultaron resistentes a la ciprofloxacina, 75,5 por ciento a la ceftazidima y 27,7 por ciento al imipenem. Los pacientes con IAA en las UCI estudiadas presentaron tasas de mortalidad adicional de 15,3 por ciento (riesgo relativo [RR] = 1,79; P = 0,0149) por NAR, 27,8 por ciento (RR = 2,44; P = 0,0004) por IC-CVC y 10,7 por ciento (RR = 1,56; P = 0,2875) por IUAC. ...

Medidas de bioseguridad, precauciones estándar y sistemas de aislamiento / Biosecurity measures, standard precautions and insulation systems

En la actualidad, según datos de la Sociedad Internacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas (ISID), las infecciones nosocomiales en los países desarrollados es de 5 a 10% y en los países en desarrollo puede superar el 25%. Estas infecciones como es de entender, aumentan considerablemente la morbilidad, mortalidad y los costos. Las medidas de bioseguridad deben ser una práctica rutinaria en las unidades médicas, y ser cumplida); por todo el personal que labora en esos centros, independientemente del grado de riesgo ­según su actividad­ y de las diferentes áreas que componen el hospital. El Centro de Enfermedades (CDC), de Atlanta, Georgia, publicó en 1996 las nuevas técnicas de aislamiento, las cuales cubren todas las posibilidades de transmisión: las precauciones estándar y las precauciones por vía de transmisión. Precauciones estándar: Lavado de manos: es la medida más económica, sencilla y eficaz para prevenir infecciones intrahospitalarias. Uso de guantes: principalmente para reducir los riesgos de colonización transitoria de gérmenes del personal y transmisión de estos al paciente. Uso de bata: se recomienda cuando se realicen procedimientos que puedan producir salpicaduras. Uso de cubreboca o mascarilla y gogles: se recomienda durante procedimientos que puedan generar salpicaduras; Manejo de material punzocortante; la adecuada disposición de desechos de material punzocortante es fundamental para prevenir accidentes y por consecuencia, prevenir la transmisión de enfermedades infecciosas. Manejo de ropa sucia: debe colocarse en bolsas de plástico y transportarla en carros exclusivos. Para el control del microorganismo infeccioso en los hospitales, se utilizan además de las precauciones estándar los sistemas de aislamiento por contacto, por aire y por gotas de acuerdo con la ruta de transmisión

At the present time, according to data of the International Society of Infectious Illnesses (ISID), the infections nosocomiales in the developed countries is from 5 to 10% and in the countries in development can overcome 25%. These infections like it is of understanding, they increase the morbility, mortality and the costs considerably. The biosecurity measures should be a routine practice in the medical units, and to be completed independently by the whole personnel that works in those centers, of the degree of risk ­according to their activity­ and of the different areas that compose the hospital. The Center of Illnesses (CDC), of Atlanta, Georgia, published in 1996 the new isolation techniques, which cover all the transmission possibilities: the cautions standard and the cautions by way of transmission. Cautions standard: washing hands: it is the most economic, simple and effective measure to prevent infections intrahospital. Use of gloves: mainly to reduce the risks of transitory colonization of the personnel's germs and transmission from these to the patient. The use of robe: it is recommended when they are carried out procedures that can produce splashes. Use a mask and gogles: it is recommended during procedures that can generate splashes; Manage of material used; the appropriate disposition of waste of material is fundamental to prevent accidents and for consequence, to prevent the transmission of infectious illnesses. Dirty laundry handling: it should be placed in bags of plastic and to transport it in exclusive cars. For the control of the infectious microorganism in the hospitals, they are used besides the cautions standard the isolation systems for contact, for air and for agreement drops with the transmission route.