What is the primary preventive measure against hospital-acquired infections?

The primary preventive measure against hospital-acquired infections is hand hygiene. Proper hand hygiene practices significantly reduce the transmission of pathogens in healthcare settings. This includes regular handwashing with soap and water or the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, especially before and after patient contact, after using the restroom, and before eating.

Hand hygiene is essential because healthcare workers can inadvertently carry infectious agents from one patient to another, leading to outbreaks of infections within hospitals. By ensuring that hands are clean, the risk of spreading germs among patients, particularly those with compromised immune systems or open wounds, is greatly minimized.

While the other measures, such as the use of antibiotics for treatment, surgical masks for respiratory protection, and isolation protocols for infected patients, are important components of infection control, they do not serve as the primary preventive measure in the same way that hand hygiene does. These methods can be useful in specific contexts, but maintaining hand hygiene is fundamental to overall infection prevention strategies in hospitals.