[Role of anesthesiologists in hospital infection control: preface and comments]

Abstract

In this special issue, the topic of hospital infection control is featured and 7 subtopics relevant to the specialty of anesthesiology are discussed in detail. Although the role of anesthesiologists in the prevention of surgical wound infection or catheter-related infection is frequently emphasized, anesthesiologists should expand their roles to the hospital infection control in whole. For example, it is clear that the prevention of infection should include not only the protection of the patients but also the protection of health care workers. A better understanding of factors and risks of hospital infection will help us to develop more effective infection control strategies and provide us with more effective treatments.