Despite the sophistication of hospital-based treatments, the threat of hospital-acquired infection, to both patients and staff, remains a major problem. This work provides practical strategies for the prevention of infection in the hospital environment by setting out step by step procedures which represent "best" infection control practice. This is aimed at medical microbiologists, infection control doctors and nurses, consultants in communicable disease control, hospital clinicians. and those involved in the management, practice and teaching of infection control.