Nosocomial infections and their prevention

Long regarded as the price to be paid for a stay in hospital, nosocomial infections are a major public health problem, leading to a high rate of mortality and morbidity, considerable expense and immense human suffering.
In recent years, the medical community has become aware of the scale of the problem. Thanks to a major multidisciplinary effort, preventive procedures have now been introduced, particularly the setting up of special units responsible for combating nosocomial infections in every hospital.
Prevention of these infections requires first and foremost the strict implementation of hygiene regulations and a general, rigorously applied policy of antibiotherapy. It also requires the active participation of the entire hospital staff: caring for patients, organising treatment, supervising premises and the patients' environment.
In this Special Edition of the journal Médecine Thérapeutique, leading specialists on infectious diseases and hospital hygiene give a precise update of all the infections encountered in hospitals and the best ways to combat them.