Infection control is a responsibility of everyone involved with the dialysis treatment process. This resource page provides the latest information on infection control issues from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as the dialysis-specific scientific journals.

Chronic hemodialysis patients are at high risk for infection because the process of hemodialysis requires vascular access for prolonged periods. In an environment where multiple patients receive dialysis concurrently, repeated opportunities exist for person-to-person transmission of infectious agents, directly or indirectly via contaminated devices, equipment and supplies, environmental surfaces, or hands of personnel. Furthermore, hemodialysis patients are immunosuppressed, which increases their susceptibility to infection, and they require frequent hospitalizations and surgery, which increases their opportunities for exposure to nosocomial infections. Bacterial infections, especially those involving vascular access, are the most frequent infectious complication of hemodialysis and a major cause of morbidity and mortality among hemodialysis patients.

RenalWEB has a separate Hepatitis Page for all hepatitis-related issues.