title: Monitoring and improving the effectiveness of surface cleaning and disinfection.
abstract: Disinfection of noncritical environmental surfaces and equipment is an essential component of an infection prevention program. Noncritical environmental surfaces and noncritical medical equipment surfaces may become contaminated with infectious agents and may contribute to cross-transmission by acquisition of transient hand carriage by health care personnel. Disinfection should render surfaces and equipment free of pathogens in sufficient numbers to prevent human disease (ie, hygienically clean).
authors.affiliation: Hospital Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Health Care, Chapel Hill, NC; Division of Infectious Diseases, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC. Electronic address: brutala@unch.unc.edu.
authors.forename: William A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Rutala
authors.affiliation: Hospital Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Health Care, Chapel Hill, NC; Division of Infectious Diseases, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Weber
mesh_terms: D003666:Decontamination / Q000379:methods*; D004203:Disinfection / Q000379:methods*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006797:Housekeeping, Hospital / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D013499:Surface Properties
keywords: Surface; cleaning; disinfection