Infection prevention is a major focus of the healthcare industry—perhaps more than many laboratory directors realize. In 2014 this market was estimated at $13.1 billion, including chemical and physical equipment solutions. The highest rate of growth is the $3.1 billion sector represented by disinfection and sterilization equipment. The infection prevention sector ranges from solutions for small medical devices to wide area/room units and covers both contact and airborne pathogen sources.
Protecting patients from healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) has rightly received increasing focus in recent years. In general, there has been a bit less emphasis on protecting clinical laboratory scientists from what might be called "laboratory-acquired infections" (LAIs). This is changing, however. In 2014, following a series of LAIs and breaches in safety protocol, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established the Laboratory Safety Workgroup. This advisory committee has been tasked to review existing practices and identify opportunities to improve laboratory worker safety. Emerging technology trends in HAI prevention can be applied to the laboratory and considered for additional levels of protection there as well.