New technologies in the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infection.

The increased interest in healthcare-associated infection (HCAI) among the public, patients and politicians has led to the development of potential new approaches to its prevention by industrial concerns and others. Such developments include better methods of assessing hospital hygiene, enhanced decontamination of the healthcare environment, biosynthetic tissue alternatives, antibiotic-impregnated medical devices and information technology that can help improve professional practice. Although promising, many of these have not been adequately evaluated in the clinical setting, highlighting the need for greater collaboration between industry and infection prevention and control practitioners to maximise the benefit of new products and to complement conventional approaches to HCAI prevention such as education, professional practice and the provision of better facilities.