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Table 1 Examples of infection control guidelines

From: A review of health system infection control measures in developing countries: what can be learned to reduce maternal mortality

Guideline

Focus

Description

References and weblinks

Infection Prevention Guidelines for Healthcare Facilities with Limited Resources (JHPIEGO)

General infection prevention

Tailored to low resource situations and for adaptation to the local setting. Targets education and behaviour change in both outpatient and hospitals settings and includes general medical, surgical, and obstetric services. It is one of a series of manuals, resource packages and videos on infection control. The manual covers 4 main areas: General infection prevention; processing of instruments; gloves and other items; implementing infection prevention in healthcare facilities; nosocomial infections.

Tietjen, Bossemeyer & McIntosh 2003 [58]http://www.reproline.jhu.edu/english/4morerh/4ip/IP_manual/ipmanual.htm

Practical Guidelines for Infection Control in Health Care (World Health Organization)

General infection prevention

Provides comprehensive information to health care workers on the prevention and control of transmissible infections. Builds on international guidelines and applies these to the needs of developing countries in Asia. Provides directions and information in relation to: Facilities, equipment, and procedures; cleaning, disinfecting and reprocessing of reusable equipment; waste management; protection of health care workers from transmissible infections; infection control practices in special situations.

World Health Organization 2004 [59]http://www.searo.who.int/LinkFiles/Publications_PracticalguidelinSEAROpub-41.pdf

Guide to the Implementation of the Multimodal Hand Hygiene Improvement Strategy (World Health Organization)

Hand hygiene

Targets health care facilities with all levels of resource availability. Concentrates on increasing compliance by health care workers. Main components: Improvement of infrastructure for hand hygiene; increase in knowledge and perception about hand hygiene, health care associated infection and patient safety.

WHO 2009 [60]http://www.who.int/entity/gpsc/5may/Guide_to_Implementation.pdf

Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health Care Settings (Centres for Disease Control)

Hand hygiene

Provides health care workers with evidence and recommendations to promote improved hand hygiene practices and reduce infection transmission to patients and personnel. Describes physiological and pathological processes and defines key terms used in infection control. Reviews efficacy of various hand hygiene products and practices.

Boyce & Pittet 2002 [29]http://www.cdc.gov/hicpac/pubs.html

Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Health Care Facilities (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, USA)

Environment

Aims to provide evidence-based recommendations for environmental infection control in health-care facilities. The control measures are focused on prevention of infections associated with air, water, surfaces, laundry and bedding, medical wastes and animals of the environment. It is based on recommendations of the Centres for Disease Control and the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee in the USA.

http://www.guideline.gov/summary/summary.aspx?doc_id=3843&ss=15[61]

Clinical Guideline for Surgical Site Infection, (National Collaborating Centre for Women's and Children's Health and the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, UK)

Surgical procedures

One of a series of infection control guidelines issued by NICE. D the prevention and treatment of surgical site infection except for specified specialised areas. The document reviews the evidence and provides recommendations for all procedures during the preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative phases of surgery.

NICE 2003 [62]http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/pdf/CG2fullguidelineinfectioncontrol.pdf