Antimicrobial surfaces: A need for stewardship?

[摘要] Since the 1970s, more than 1,500 new pathogens have been discovered, and many of these have had major impacts on public health [1]. Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) account for 37,000 deaths in Europe and 99,000 deaths in the United States of America annually and are associated with a financial loss of €7 billion in the EU and US$ 6.5 billion in the US [2]. Many of these deaths are attributed to multiple drug-resistant (MDR) pathogens, which evolved due to the overuse of antimicrobial drugs. Consequently, MDR pathogens are now considered a global threat to public health [3,4]. Historically, MDR infections have been nosocomial, but since the early 2000s, there has been a rise in community-acquired pathogens such as meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which are now detected in public areas such as public transport, airports, and daycare facilities [5–7].

[学科分类] 土木及结构工程学