Infection Prevention and Waste Disposal

Nosocomial infections (hospital-acquired infections, healthcare-associated infections) are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. They are defined as those infections acquired by a person in a healthcare unit which are secondary to the patient’s original condition. These infections also include infections acquired by the patient but appearing after discharge. The symptoms usually appear after 48 h of admission. It is estimated that 5–10% of patients admitted for acute care and emergency procedures acquire healthcare-associated infections (HAI). Of more concern is that more than 70% of infections are due to antibiotic-resistant organisms.