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Surgical site infections are the most common nosocomial infections. Strategies to prevent these infections are crucial. Evidence based measures like hand hygiene, treatment of nasal carriage of S. aureus, surveillance, prophylactic application of antibiotics or hair removal with electric clippers are listed in national and international guidelines. Beside these measures several myths and traditions like the application of antibiotic prophylaxis for several days or hygienic rituals in a septic operating theatre still exist. These measures are not helpful and should not be used any more. It is helpful to include effective measures in a bundle, the compliance with the bundle should be monitored regularly. Only the consequent implementation of evidence based and effective measures can help to prevent surgical site infections., (© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York.)

Fever is common in patients in intensive care units. Sources of fever can be infectious or non-infectious. The most common sources of infectious fever include ventilator-associated pneumonia, intravascular catheter-related infections, infection with Clostridium difficile or sinusitis. Typical examples of non-infectious fever include thromboembolic events, myocardial infarction, autoimmune disease, withdrawal symptoms or a drug-fever. Every new onset of fever prompts diagnostic decisions, treatment with antipyretics should be discussed critically., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)