Practices and conditions that help maintain health and reduce exposure to infectious agents and other harmful substances.
Hygiene includes practices such as handwashing, oral hygiene, bathing, food hygiene, respiratory hygiene, and appropriate cleaning of objects or environments. Good hygiene can interrupt routes through which infectious agents reach people.
Hygiene is broader than simply keeping things visually clean; its public health importance lies in reducing harmful exposure and transmission.
QUICK FACT
Hygiene and sanitation are different. Handwashing is a hygiene practice, while safe disposal and management of human waste are components of sanitation.
COMMONLY CONFUSED WITH
Sanitation: systems and infrastructure for safely managing human waste and reducing environmental contamination.
SEE ALSO
