title: [Infection risk and personal protective devices].
abstract: The Aa discuss the evidence and recommendations for the use of personal protective equipment by health care practitioners in general care settings; the use of aprons, gowns, gloves, eye protections, face masks is valutated on the basis of an assessment of the risk of transmission of microrganisms to the patient or from the patient to health care practitioners. The primary uses of personal protective equipment are to protect staff and reduce opportunities for transmission of microrganisms in hospitals. A trend to eliminate the unnecessary wearing of aprons, gowns and masks in general care settings has evolved over the past twenty years due to the absence of evidence that they are effective.
authors.affiliation: U.O. Malattie Infettive, Azienda Ospedaliera 'Carlo Poma', Mantova, Italy. malinfmantova@mynet.it
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scalzini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gattuso
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Burato
mesh_terms: D005135:Eye Protective Devices; D017575:Gloves, Protective; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012307:Risk Factors