Nosocomial infection control: an overview.

Nosocomial infections are one of the most important public health problems in the world today. Although a great deal of attention is being directed toward the control and prevention of these infections, old problems continue to occur and new problems are constantly arising. The approximately 5% rate of nosocomial infections among patients admitted to acute-care hospitals has a significant impact on patients morbidity and morality and on the financial concerns of the patient, hospital, and community. An effective, efficient, and sensitive surveillance program developed to meet the needs of the individual hospital is absolutely necessary to obtain data on nosocomial infections from which controls and prevention programs can be developed. At the same time, lessons can be learned from the experience of other hospitals. The nosocomial infection control and prevention program must be under the general direction of a representative, interested, effective infection control committee. One area of importance under the committee's responsibility is that of an appropriate isolation program practiced by all persons within the hospital.