A Risk Assessment Approach to Use of Antimicrobials in the Home to Prevent Spread of Infection

Home and everyday life hygiene is a key part of the public health strategy to reduce infectious disease, but an effective code of practice is required.

This short review summarizes the basic scientific principles of a risk-based approach to home hygiene where hygiene procedures are applied at critical points at appropriate times. It suggests that, although detergent-based cleaning can be used to break the chain of infection, in some cases an antimicrobial agent (often referred to as antibacterial products, when used in the context of home hygiene) is required. 

The publication can be found at: American Journal of Infection Control 41 (2013) S87-S93. It is part of an AJIC supplement entitled “Disinfection, Sterilization and Antisepsis: Current Issues, New Research and New Technologies, edited by William A. Rutala and David J. Weber