<unk>  is the discipline concerned with<unk> g healthcare-infections; a practical rather than academic sub-discipline of epidemiology. In Northern Europe,<unk>  is expanded from healthcare into a component in public health, known as<unk>  protection" (smittevern, smittskydd,<unk> sschutz in the local languages). It is an essential part of the infrastructure of health care.<unk><unk>  and hospital epidemiology are akin to public health practice, practiced within the confines of a particular health-care delivery system rather than directed at society as a whole.<unk><unk>  addresses factors related to the spread of<unk> s within the healthcare setting, whether among patients, from patients to staff, from staff to patients, or among staff. This includes preventive measures such as hand washing, cleaning, disinfecting, sterilizing, and vaccinating. Other aspects include surveillance, monitoring, and investigating and managing suspected outbreaks of<unk>  within a healthcare setting. A subsidiary aspect of<unk><unk>  involves<unk> g the spread of antimicrobial-resistant organisms such as MRSA. This in turn connects to the discipline of antimicrobial stewardship—limiting the use of antimicrobials to necessary cases, as increased usage inevitably results in the selection and dissemination of resistant organisms. Antimicrobial medications (aka antimicrobials or anti-infective agents) include antibiotics, antibacterials, antifungals, antivirals and antiprotozoals. The World Health Organization (WHO) has set up an<unk>  (IPC) unit in its Service Delivery and Safety department that publishes related guidelines.
Infection prevention and control
Preventive healthcare
Drug disposal
Vaccination policy
Mosquito control
Hygiene
Vaccine storage
Sustainable sanitation