Does disinfection of environmental surfaces influence nosocomial infection rates? A systematic review.

Objective: To review the evidence on the effects of disinfection of environmental surfaces in hospitals (as compared with cleaning without use of disinfectants) on the occurrence of nosocomial infections.

Methods: Systematic review of experimental and nonexperimental intervention studies dealing with environmental disinfection or cleaning in different health care settings.

Results: A total of 236 scientific articles were identified.