Best practices for reducing hospital-associated infections

Using a black light to illuminate all the nooks and crannies where deadly bacteria lurk is one of the most effective tools hospitals are using to reduce hospital-acquired infections, the Wall Street Journal reports.

One Boston-area epidemiologist developed an invisible solution that illuminates under a black light. He then sprayed it all over patient rooms in dozens of hospitals and used a black light to show all of the areas where cleaning staff missed the mark. (Bathroom light switches, door knobs, telephones, nurse call buttons and grab rails were routinely shown to be contaminated.)

The newspaper highlighted the 10 most effective techniques hospitals are using to control such infections as drug-resistant MRSA bacteria and the nasty Clostridium difficile, which causes severe diarrhea. The infections lead to nearly 100,000 deaths each year, at a cost of up to $6.5 billion.

For more information:
- read the Wall Street Journal story here

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