Decontamination in Hospitals and Healthcare brings an understanding of decontamination practices and the development of technologies for cleaning and control of infection to a wide audience interested in public health, including healthcare specialists, scientists, students or patients.

Part one highlights the importance and history of decontamination in hospitals and healthcare before exploring the role of standards in decontamination, infection control in Europe, and future trends in the area. Part two focuses on decontamination practices in hospitals and healthcare. It considers the role of the nurse in decontamination, the issues of microbial biofilm in waterlines, control of waterborne microorganisms, and the use of gaseous decontamination technologies. Further chapters explore decontamination of prions, the use of protective clothing, no-touch automated room disinfection systems, and controlling the presence of microorganisms in hospitals. Part three discusses practices for decontamination and sterilization of surgical instruments and endoscopes. These chapters examine a range of guidance documents, including the choice framework for local policy and procedures for decontamination of surgical instruments, as well as novel technologies for cleaning and detection of contamination.

Decontamination in Hospitals and Healthcare provides a reference source on decontamination for public health professionals and students concerned with healthcare. It is particularly useful for scientists in microbiology and disinfection/decontamination laboratories, healthcare workers who use disinfectants, students in microbiology, clinicians, members of the Institute of Decontamination Sciences/Central Sterilising Club, and those employed in the Central Sterile Services departments of healthcare facilities.

Part 1 Fundamentals of decontamination in hospitals and healthcare The importance of decontamination in hospitals and healthcare The history of decontamination in hospitals The Role of Standards in decontamination Infection control in Europe Future trends in decontamination in hospitals and healthcare

Part 2 Decontamination practices in hospitals and healthcare Decontamination in primary care: Dental and hospital perspectives The role of the nurse in decontamination Minimising microbial contamination in dental unit water systems and microbial control in dental hospitals Control of waterborne microorganisms and reducing the threat from Legionella and Pseudomonas The role of continuous microbial debulking in the hospital environment and its effect on reducing hospital-acquired infections (HAI); Provision and control of water for healthcare purposes Use of gaseous decontamination technologies for wards and isolation rooms in hospitals and healthcare settings Biocides and decontamination agents including sporicides for decontamination in hospitals Decontamination of prions; Cleaning and decontamination of the healthcare environment The role of protective clothing in healthcare and its decontamination A guide to no-touch automated room disinfection (NTD) systems New technologies to control the presence of microorganisms in hospitals Testing strategies and international standards for disinfectants

Part 3 Decontamination of surgical instruments and endoscopes An overview of current decontamination practices of surgical instruments and medical devices An overview of the Choice Framework for local Policy and Procedures (CFPP) for decontamination of surgical instruments An overview of new technologies for the decontamination of surgical instruments and the quantification of protein residues: low-pressure radiofrequency (RF) gas-plasma decontamination and epifluorescence scanning (EFSCAN) detection Efficacy of current and novel cleaning technologies (ID Box) for assessing protein contamination on surgical instruments Decontamination of flexible endoscopes Sterilisation of flexible endoscopes.

Jimmy Walker is a Water System Microbiology and Decontamination Expert in the Public Health England's Biosafety Unit at Porton Down, UK.