Infection transmission in healthcare facilities is a growing concern. Visitation to healthcare facilities is very common, though the potential role of visitors in the transmission of infection is unknown. Although transmission-based precautions are generally used to prevent the spread of organisms in healthcare settings by healthcare staff, the applicability of these precautions to visitors is unclear. Decisions regarding whether to implement transmission-based precautions among visitors should take into account the organism of concern and means of transmission as well as factors pertaining to the visitor and the healthcare setting. The role of visitors as vectors for organism transmission in the healthcare setting and the potential benefits and adverse consequences of visitor adherence with transmission-based precautions are important areas for additional research.
Keywords: hospital epidemiology; hospital visitors; infection control; multidrug resistant organisms; nosocomial infections.