Infection control and prevention considerations

Due to the nature of their underlying illness and treatment regimens, cancer patients are at increased risk of infection. Though the advent and widespread use of anti-infective agents has allowed for the application of ever-greater immune-suppressing therapies with successful treatment of infectious complications, prevention of infection remains the primary goal. The evolutionary changes of microorganisms, whereby resistance to anti-infective therapy is increasingly common, have facilitated a paradigm shift in the field of healthcare epidemiology. No longer is the focus on "control" of infection once established in a healthcare environment. Rather, the emphasis is on prevention of infection before it occurs. The most basic tenet of infection prevention, and the cornerstone of all well-designed infection prevention and control programs, is hand hygiene. The hands of healthcare workers provide a common potential source for transmission of infectious agents, and effective decontamination of the hands reduces the risk of transmission of infectious material to other patients. Once infection is suspected or established; however, implementation of effective control strategies is important to limit the spread of infection within a healthcare environment. This chapter outlines the basic tenets of infection prevention, principles of isolation precautions and control measures, and elements for a successful infection control and prevention program.