Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are causing prolonged stays in hospitals and pose a substantial burden...

The resident skin flora is the physiological skin flora, also known as colonising flora. It comprises bacteria such as Staphylococcus epidermidis, propioni and corynebacteria, which do not have a pathogenic effect on the skin...

Mainly to remove visible soils and – only to a small extent – to reduce microbial colonisation of the skin (e.g. in case of contamination with spores of C. difficile). Handwashing is far less indicated than generally believed. Hence...