WHO recommends 29 ways to stop surgical infections and avoid superbugs

People preparing for surgery should always have a bath or shower but not be shaved, and antibiotics should only be used to prevent infections before and during surgery, not afterwards, according to new guidelines from WHO that aim to save lives, cut costs and arrest the spread of superbugs. The "Global Guidelines for the Prevention of Surgical Site Infection" includes a list of 29 concrete recommendations distilled by 20 of the world’s leading experts from 26 reviews of the latest evidence. The recommendations were also published today in "The Lancet Infectious Diseases" and are designed to address the increasing burden of health care associated infections on both patients and health care systems globally. "No one should get sick while seeking or receiving care," said Dr Marie-Paule Kieny, WHO’s Assistant Director-General for Health Systems and Innovation. "Preventing surgical infections has never been more important but it is complex and requires a range of preventive measures. These guidelines are an invaluable tool for protecting patients." Surgical site infections are caused by bacteria that get in through incisions made during surgery. They threaten the lives of millions of patients each year and contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance. In low- and middle-income countries, 11% of patients who undergo surgery are infected in the process. In Africa, up to 20% of women who have a caesarean section contract a wound infection, compromising their own health and their ability to care for their babies. But surgical site infections are not just a problem for poor countries. In the United States, they contribute to patients spending more than 400 000 extra days in hospital at a cost of an additional US$ 900 million per year. Preventing infections before, during and after surgery The guidelines include 13 recommendations for the period before surgery, and 16 for preventing infections during and after surgery. They range from simple precautions such as ensurin...