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The Role of the Laboratory in Control of Nosocomial Infection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

John E. McGowan Jr.
John E. McGowan Jr.*
Affiliation:
Emory University School of Medicine, and Director, Clinical Microbiology, Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia
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Abstract

Nosocomial (hospital-associated) infection continues to represent a major problem for hospitals. Gram-negative aerobic bacilli continue to be identified most frequently as etiologic agents, but a number of new pathogens now are recognized to play a role. The persons responsible for infection control efforts and in charge of the clinical microbiology laboratory (frequently the same person) must cooperate closely to attack this problem. The role of the laboratory in attempts to minimize occurrence of nosocomial infection involves six aspects: 1) accurate identification of responsible organisms, 2) timely reporting of laboratory data, 3) provision of additional studies, when necessary, to establish similarity or difference of organisms, 4) provision, on occasion, of microbiologic studies of the hospital environment, 5) training of infection control personnel, and 6) participation in activities of the hospital infection control committee.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 5 , Issue 3 , March 1984 , pp. 144 - 150
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 1984

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