Healthcare-acquired bacterial infections

Abstract

The term nosocomial is derived from the combination of Greek nosos (disease) with komein (to take care of) as nosokomeion (hospital) and the Latin nosocomium (hospital). Nosocomial infections, then, are infections that develop and are recognized in patients and personnel in hospitals. These infections are not present or incubating on admission, with the exception that a nosocomial infection may be present on admission if it is directly related to or is the residual of a previous hospitalization. The reader may note that the title of this chapter has changed in a small but important way from the prior edition. We have acknowledged substantial changes in the field by revising the title from focusing on nosocomial infections to healthcare-acquired infections. As a greater number of individuals are cared for in non-acute-care health facilities (e.g., skilled nursing facilities, long-term care facilities) an understanding of infections in these settings is also vital. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2009.