The Role of the Skin in Nosocomial Infection: a Review

This paper reviews the role that skin plays in nosocomial infection. Skin is heavily colonised with a variety of commensal and potentially pathogenic bacteria and poses an important source of hospital acquired infection. Several outbreaks of skin infection are described in which the source and route of infection have been identified. Some of the factors implicated in the survival and dispersal of skin pathogens are described.