Infection control in mass-casualty respiratory care: research needs and future directions.

During the Singapore SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) outbreak, Khoo et al implemented a sensible approach to protecting patients and clinicians from nosocomial infection by the SARS coronavirus, and in this issue of the Journal they report on their strategy’s impact on clinical outcomes.1 Khoo et al draw attention to the many gaps in our understanding of infection-control during respiratory-care interventions. Research on prevention of nosocomial infections has largely focused on hand hygiene, device-related infections, and clinician vaccination.2-5 Although those infectioncontrol measures are important, a solid evidence base regarding respiratory-care-related infection control must be generated to improve our understanding of how to minimize transmission of pathogens when treating respiratory conditions.