Infection Control Overseas

Abstract

A Medline search for Infection Control articles published in referred journals between 1991 and 1995, revealed almost 1200 publications, 173 of them were reviews and of 118 selected, 77 (66%) originated from the United States of America. Analysis of the topics addressed confirmed the wide variety of issues that Infection Control covers. Infection Control is well developed in the United States of America and United Kingdom. Publications on Infection Control in Europe, South America and North African Countries suggest that activity is patchy and based on the American model, except for countries in Scandinavia where World Health Organisation sponsored computer surveillance systems have been widely used. Infection Control in Asian countries follows the United Kingdom model in Hong Kong and Malaysia. In China, nosocomial infections are reported to be less than 10% but nosocomial bacteraemia is unknown as blood cultures are rarely performed. A world tour of selected countries will review their infection control strategies, including how they have developed and are applied in the countries selected for review.