[Nosocomial infections in urology]

Hospital acquired infections represent a medical priority for surgeons as well as anesthetists and nursing staff. ANAES charged with national hospital accreditation program establishes protocols and objectives to be attained in terms of quality of care and patient satisfaction. According to available pilot studies, prevention of hospital acquired infections relies on surgical environment, preoperative patient preparation, sterilisation techniques, antibiotic prophylaxis and catheter care. Great improvements are under way in this domain and in management of multiresistant bacterial infections with a decrease in multiresistant kelbsiella infections. Our optimism is however tempered by the increase in methicillino-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. Many questions on nosocomial infections are still unanswered due to insufficient scientific evidence and difficulty in organising rigorous studies. Further progress will require a full involvement of hospital administrations and funding health organisations to provide the financial support required to implement preventive procedures and related architectural modifications.