Proven and unproven methods in hospital infection control in intensive care units.

Most common nosocomial infections in Intensive Care Units are: respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections, bacteremias, and wound infections. Proven methods in hospital infection control are: hand washing, discipline of all personnel, appropriate nursing techniques, specially trained hygiene staff, isolation, appropriate number of nursing personnel per patient, appropriate use of antibiotics, few and brief usage of foreign bodies such as intravenous lines. Useless and unproven methods in hospital infection control are: environmental cultures, routine cultures of personnel, routine air sampling, fogging and spraying of disinfectants, UV lights, plastic shoe covers, routine floor disinfection, disinfection or sticky mats, change of humidifiers and tubings every eight hours, and systematic antibiotic prophylaxis against pneumonia.