This guideline is intended to provide new and updated evidence-based recommendations for the prevention of SSI and should be incorporated into comprehensive surgical quality improvement programs to improve patient safety. Surgical site infections are persistent and preventable health care-associated infections. There is increasing demand for evidence-based interventions for the prevention of SSI. The last version of the CDC Guideline for Prevention of Surgical Site Infection was published in 1999. While the guideline was evidence informed, most recommendations were based on expert opinion, in the era before evidence-based guideline methods. CDC updated that version of the guideline using GRADE as the evidence-based method that provides the foundation of the recommendations in this guideline. These new and updated recommendations are not only useful for health care professionals but also can be used as a resource for professional societies or organizations to develop more detailed implementation guidance or to identify future research priorities.

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