Peer-reviewed articles that you might find useful as a surgical trainee http://www.surginfection.com/publications.php Bennett-Guerrero et al. New England Journal of Medicine (2010) - This US study examines the efficacy of a gentamicin-collagen sponge applied to the surgical site at wound closure decreases SSI rates http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20825316 Hennessey et al. Annals of Surgery (2010) - This Irish study assesses patient hypoalbuminaemia as an independant risk factor in the development of surgical site infection http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20647925 Webster et al. ANZ Journal of Surgery (2010) - This RCT examines whether the wearing of face masks by non scrubbed personnel in operating theatres is having any effect on surgical site infection rates http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20575920 Meeks et al. American Journal of Surgery (2010) - This study is an assessment in two US hospitals of compliance to best practice in terms of surgical prophylaxis choice, timing and duration, as well as maintenance of patient normothermia intra-operatively http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20573335 Bode et al. New England Journal of Medicine (2010) - This randomised controlled trial demonstrates a decrease in deep SSI with Staph aureus in surgical patients with nasal colonisation of Staph aureus who undergo decolonisation using mupiricin and chlorhexidine soap http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20054045 Darouiche et al. New England Journal of Medicine (2010) - This article reports that pre-operative cleansing of the surgical site with chlorhexidine-alcohol is superior to cleansing with povidone-iodine for preventing SSI after clean-contaminated surgery http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20054046 Bowater et al. Annals of Surgery (2009) - This meta-analysis conludes that antibiotic prophylaxis pre-operatively is beneficial to patients in prevention of surgical site infection http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19300236 Weber et al. Annals of Surgery (2008) - This study concludes that when cefuroxime is used as a prophylactic antibiotic, administration 59 to 30 minutes before incision is more effective than administration during the last half hour. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18520217 McHugh et al. The Surgeon (2009) - This review article examines different previously implemented education initiatives to prevent healthcare associated infection. As well as detailing the different initiatives and their effects, it highlights the paucity of similar educational programmes aimed at surgical trainees. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20303891 de Vries et al. NEJM (2010) - Is it a case of the more surgical checklists the better? Following on from the SSSL peri-operative checklist from the WHO, this team of researchers from the Netherlands examine whether a checklist encompassing both pre- and post-operative phases of a patients in-hospital journey can decrease adverse surgical events. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21067384 McHugh et al. ICHE (2010) - Could patients have a part to play in the prevention of iv line sepsis? This study examines the link between patient awareness with regard to peripheral iv lines and risk factors for line sepsis. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21087126 McHugh et al. JCEHP (2010) - Description of the design and implementation of a targeted educational initiative as well as initial quantitative data regarding it's uptake. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21171032 Taratri et al. JHI (2011) - This study assesses compliance with best practice in infection prevention in surgery for a cohort of cases in a hospital in Malta. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21334097 McHugh et al 2011 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21367488 Fujii et al 2011 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21553008 Tanner et al 2008 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18254046