Hospital Microbiome and Infection Control

Abstract - The hospital microbiome represents a complex and dynamic ecological network that significantly influences infection control and antimicrobial resistance within healthcare environments. Its composition is shaped by patient populations, healthcare workers, infrastructure, and environmental factors such as cleaning practices and ventilation systems. Advancements in culture-independent and metagenomic techniques have transformed our understanding of microbial diversity in hospital settings, revealing both protective and pathogenic roles of microbial communities. These insights highlight how the hospital microbiome can modulate pathogen persistence, antibiotic resistance gene transfer, and outbreak dynamics. Integrating microbiome data into infection prevention strategies—including surface decontamination, architectural design, and surveillance programs—offers innovative pathways for controlling healthcare-associated infections. However, translating microbiome findings into actionable policies remains challenging due to methodological, ethical, and regulatory constraints. This review discusses the composition, function, and control of hospital microbial ecosystems, with emphasis on emerging microbiome-informed interventions and the need for interdisciplinary collaboration to build resilient hospital environments. Key Words: Hospital microbiome, infection control, antimicrobial resistance, metagenomics, healthcare-associated infections, environmental microbiology