Hand hygiene and health care associated infections: What, why and how

Health Care Associated Infection, HCAIs not only increase morbidity, mortality prolonged hospital stay, and increased health care costs but also increase antibiotic use, antibiotic pressure leading to development of antimicrobial resistance in the hospital. The link between hand washing and the spread of disease was established almost two centuries ago and this can be considered as relatively early with respect to the discoveries of Pasteur and Lister that occurred decades later. The article reviews literature demonstrating links between Hand Hygiene and HCAIs, recent guidelines of Hand Hygiene, products and implementation strategies.