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2026, Number 1

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Enf Infec Microbiol 2026; 46 (1)

Towards a modern concept of asepsis: lessons from the covid-19 pandemic

Domínguez-Castellanos LC, Macías AE

Language: Spanish
References: 30
Page: 36-41
PDF size: 178.72 Kb.


ABSTRACT

Current concept of asepsis refers to the procedures aimed at maintaining the absence of organisms in a site where they can cause disease, especially during medical or surgical procedures. The works of Louis Pasteur consolidated the germ theory of disease, and Joseph Lister based its application in surgery, from where it was later extended to all medical services. Modern medicine thus conceives asepsis not only as an operative technique but as a philosophy of care based on infection prevention. However, while the concepts of hygiene and asepsis consider the need for cleanliness and behaviors to avoid transmission through direct and indirect contact, the need to breathe clean air has been in limbo, as demonstrated by the covid-19 pandemic, which was transmitted almost exclusively through the air, over aerosols. That is why today we must recognize the importance of breathing clean air as an integral part of the hygiene and asepsis. This involves adopting measures to improve indoor air quality, such as adequate ventilation and the use of air filters or equipment to inactivate potential pathogens. In the future, we will need to incorporate the use of air quality proxies into our practices, such as monitoring with carbon dioxide particle measurement equipment. Ultimately, the concept of asepsis must evolve toward a broader notion of a healthy environment, where the protection of patients and staff also includes ensuring clean air to breathe.


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