title: Infection control through the ages.
abstract: To appreciate the current advances in the field of health care epidemiology, it is important to understand the history of hospital infection control. Available historical sources were reviewed for 4 different historical time periods: medieval, early modern, progressive, and post-World War II. Hospital settings for the time periods are described, with particular emphasis on the conditions related to hospital infections.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5400, USA. pwsmith@unmc.edu
authors.forename: Philip W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hewlett
mesh_terms: D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D049668:History, 15th Century; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000266:history* / Q000379:methods*