Discover a practical, multidisciplinary approach to the prevention and management of nosocomial infection. Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control, Fourth Edition, continues to build upon its well-earned acclaim as the most comprehensive reference on hospital epidemiology and infection control. Over 150 leading authorities have contributed their expertise to the text, examining every type of nosocomial infection as well as issues relating to surveillance, prevention, and control of these infections in patients and in healthcare workers. This new edition features new or significantly increased coverage of emerging infectious diseases, avian influenza (“bird flu”), governmental regulation of infection control and payment practices related to hospital-acquired infections, molecular epidemiology, the increasing prevalence of community-acquired MRSA in healthcare facilities, system-wide infection control provisions for healthcare systems, hospital infection control issues following natural disasters, and antimicrobial stewardship in reducing the development of antimicrobial-resistant organisms.New and updated features include…• New chapters address mechanisms of bio?lm formation in staphylococci, microbiologic sampling of the environment in healthcare facilities, antimicrobial stewardship, and elements of design in the built environment of the healthcare facility.• NEW companion website offers extensive additional references for most chapters, as well as additional content useful in highly specialized circumstances • Fully updated references cite established and emerging research into the prevention and management of hospital-acquired infection. • Enhanced clinical focus provides useful information and strategies readers can put into practice immediately.