Decontamination in Hospitals and Healthcare, Second Edition, enables users to obtain detailed knowledge of decontamination practices in healthcare settings, including surfaces, devices, clothing and people, with a specific focus on hospitals and dental clinics. - Offers in-depth coverage of all aspects of decontamination in healthcare - Examines the decontamination of surgical equipment and endoscopes - Expanded to include new information on behavioral principles in decontamination, control of microbiological problems, waterborne microorganisms, pseudomonas and the decontamination of laundry

The notion that contaminated environments in hospital settings significantly contribute to the risk of an individual acquiring an infection while hospitalized is continuously gaining recognition by the medical community. There is a clear correlation between the environmental bioburden present in a clinical setting and the risk of patients acquiring an infection. Thus using self-disinfecting surfaces can be a very important adjunct in the fight against nosocomial pathogens. This book reviews the increasing evidence that contaminated non-intrusive soft and hard surfaces located in the clinical surroundings are a source of nosocomial pathogens and focuses on the utility of copper containing materials in reducing bioburden and fighting hospital acquired infections. It also reviews other biocidal surface alternatives and the economics of using biocidal surfaces in a hospital environment. Finally, it discusses the pros and cons of existent disinfection modalities other than biocidal surfaces.

These guidelines provide recommendations that outline the critical aspects of infection prevention and control. The recommendations were developed using the best available evidence and consensus methods by the Infection Control Steering Committee. They have been prioritised as key areas to prevent and control infection in a healthcare facility. It is recognised that the level of risk may differ according to the different types of facility and therefore some recommendations should be justified by risk assessment. When implementing these recommendations all healthcare facilities need to consider the risk of transmission of infection and implement according to their specific setting and circumstances.

People's desire to understand the environments in which they live is a natural one. People spend most of their time in spaces and structures designed, built, and managed by humans, and it is estimated that people in developed countries now spend 90 percent of their lives indoors. As people move from homes to workplaces, traveling in cars and on transit systems, microorganisms are continually with and around them. The human-associated microbes that are shed, along with the human behaviors that affect their transport and removal, make significant contributions to the diversity of the indoor microbiome. The characteristics of "healthy" indoor environments cannot yet be defined, nor do microbial, clinical, and building researchers yet understand how to modify features of indoor environmentsâ€"such as building ventilation systems and the chemistry of building materialsâ€"in ways that would have predictable impacts on microbial communities to promote health and prevent disease. The factors that affect the environments within buildings, the ways in which building characteristics influence the composition and function of indoor microbial communities, and the ways in which these microbial communities relate to human health and well-being are extraordinarily complex and can be explored only as a dynamic, interconnected ecosystem by engaging the fields of microbial biology and ecology, chemistry, building science, and human physiology. This report reviews what is known about the intersection of these disciplines, and how new tools may facilitate advances in understanding the ecosystem of built environments, indoor microbiomes, and effects on human health and well-being. It offers a research agenda to generate the information needed so that stakeholders with an interest in understanding the impacts of built environments will be able to make more informed decisions.

Canine and Feline Infectious Diseases is a practical, up-to-date resource covering the most important and cutting-edge advances in the field. Presented by a seasoned educator in a concise, highly visual format, this innovative guide keeps you current with the latest advances in this ever-changing field. 80 case studies illustrate the clinical relevance of the major infectious disease chapters. - Well-organized Major Infectious Diseases chapters break down content by etiologic agent and epidemiology, clinical signs and their pathophysiology, physical examination findings, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis, immunity, prevention, and public health implications. - Over 80 case studies illustrate how the information provided can be applied in everyday practice. - Logical approach to laboratory diagnosis guides you through all the steps needed to accurately diagnose and treat viral, bacterial, fungal, protozoal, and algal diseases. - Practical protocols provided by expert clinicians guide you in the management of canine and feline patients suspected to have infectious diseases, including handling, disinfection, isolation, and vaccination protocols. - Over 500 full color images – geographic distribution maps, life cycle drawings, and hundreds of color photographs – visually illustrate and clarify complex issues. - Easy-to-understand tables and boxes make content quickly accessible, eliminating the need to sort through dense text for critical information in the clinical setting.

This book provides an evidence-based, practical approach to the diagnosis and treatment of the most frequent fungal infections in a general hospital. It offers a comprehensive overview of the basic medical and scientific background of fungal infections and carefully explains and discusses epidemiology, pathogenesis, and clinical presentation. Readers will acquire a good and clear perception of invasive fungal infections, including diagnosis and treatment. This user-friendly resource not only serves as a valuable tool in clinical management, but also provides the basis for further research questions and studies in this particular field. It will be a useful companion for midwives as well as for doctors, medical and pharmacy students, nurses and other healthcare professionals.

The WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care provide health-care workers (HCWs), hospital administrators and health authorities with a thorough review of evidence on hand hygiene in health care and specific recommendations to improve practices and reduce transmission of pathogenic microorganisms to patients and HCWs. The present Guidelines are intended to be implemented in any situation in which health care is delivered either to a patient or to a specific group in a population. Therefore, this concept applies to all settings where health care is permanently or occasionally performed, such as home care by birth attendants. Definitions of health-care settings are proposed in Appendix 1. These Guidelines and the associated WHO Multimodal Hand Hygiene Improvement Strategy and an Implementation Toolkit (http://www.who.int/gpsc/en/) are designed to offer health-care facilities in Member States a conceptual framework and practical tools for the application of recommendations in practice at the bedside. While ensuring consistency with the Guidelines recommendations, individual adaptation according to local regulations, settings, needs, and resources is desirable. This extensive review includes in one document sufficient technical information to support training materials and help plan implementation strategies. The document comprises six parts.