Graham Ayliffe

Graham Arthur John Ayliffe (2 March 1926 – 22 May 2017) was a British medical microbiologist and Emeritus Professor in Medical Microbiology, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. He was instrumental in founding the International Federation for Infection Control (IFIC) in association with the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1987. He was elected Chair in 1990. He was also a founder member of the Hospital Infection Society (now Healthcare Infection Society) and editor of its journal (1980–84), a former Chair (1980–84) and President (1988–94).[1] The Graham Ayliffe Training Fellowship was established in 2013.[2]

Graham Ayliffe
Born(1926-03-02)March 2, 1926
Hambrook, Gloucestershire, UK
NationalityBritish
OccupationMicrobiologist

Career

Graham Ayliffe was born in Hambrook, Gloucestershire, England and educated at Queen Elizabeth's Hospital School in Bristol. He served for three years in the Royal Navy as a medical assistant/laboratory technician and then went on to study Medicine at Bristol University. He joined the Department of Pathology at the Bristol Royal Infirmary under Professor William Gillespie in 1955. In 1959 he moved on to the Department of Bacteriology at Hammersmith Hospital under Professor Mary Barber. He was awarded an MD from the University of Bristol in 1963.[3]


In 1964 he joined the team at the Hospital Infection Research Laboratory (HIRL) in what is now known as City Hospital, Birmingham led by Professor Edward Lowbury. The research team at Birmingham carried out numerous surveys of hospital infection and explored the necessity of hand hygiene, the emergence of antibiotic resistance and surgical site infection (SSI).[4]

The team at Birmingham (Ayliffe, J. R. Babb, A. H. Quoraishi) developed the six step hand-washing technique (known as the Ayliffe Technique).[5][6] The technique was soon adopted by hospitals throughout the UK and was endorsed by the World Health Organization in 2009 and is similar to German standard DIN EN 1500 (hygienic hand disinfection).[7][8][9][10][11]

He was appointed Director of the HIRL in 1980 following Lowbury's retirement and he was appointed professor of Medical Microbiology at the University of Birmingham in 1981 where he developed a practical course for medical students. His research interests included the control of MRSA, biological safety and endoscope decontamination.[4]

Writing

He authored and co-authored numerous books and academic papers including:

  • Hospital Infection: From Miasmas to MRSA, Ayliffe, G.A.J, English, M.P (2003, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge)[12]
  • Hospital-Acquired Infection: Principles and Prevention, Ayliffe, G.A.J, Collins, B.J, Taylor, A.J (1982, John Wright & Sons, Bristol)[13]
  • Control of Hospital Infection: A Practical Handbook, Ayliffe, G.A.J, Geddes, A.M, Williams, JD, 1975, Chapman & Hall, London[14]
  • Drug Resistance in Antimicrobial Therapy, Lowbury, E.J.L, Ayliffe G.A.J. (Springfield, Illinois, 1974)[15]

Personal life

Ayliffe married Janet Lloyd in 1963 and they had two children. He was the Honorary President of Birmingham Fencing Club up to his death on 22 May 2017 at the age of 91.[16]

References
  1. "Roll Of Honour". Healthcare Infection Society. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  2. "The Graham Ayliffe Training Fellowship". Healthcare Infection Society. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  3. "Universities & Colleges British Medical Journal 1963". Br Med J. 2 (5348): 66. 6 July 1963. doi:10.1136/bmj.2.5348.64. PMC 1872086.
  4. "Hospital Infection Research Laboratory, Birmingham - 25th Anniversary". Journal of Hospital Infection. 14 (4): 369–371. November 1989. doi:10.1016/0195-6701(89)90078-9. PMID 2575637.
  5. Godson, Nina (2014-05-22). Nursing & Health Survival Guide. ISBN 9781317906087. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  6. Kilpatrick, Claire. "HAI & Infection in Scotland". Health Protection Scotland. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  7. "WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care" (PDF). World Health Organization. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  8. "WHO guidelines on hand hygiene in health care". www.who.int. Retrieved 2021-08-15.
  9. Geddes A (July 2017). "Graham Ayliffe". BMJ. 358: j3333. doi:10.1136/bmj.j3333. PMID 28694289. S2CID 29226430.
  10. WHO guidelines on hand hygiene in health care : first global patient safety challenge clean care is safer care. Geneva: World Health Organization. Patient Safety. 2009. ISBN 978-92-4-159790-6. OCLC 854907565.
  11. "WHO guidelines on hand hygiene in health care". Retrieved 2021-08-15.
  12. "Academic". Cambridge University Press. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  13. Ayliffe, G. A. J.; Collins, B. J.; Taylor, Lynda J. (1990). Hospital Acquired Infection: Principles and Practice. ISBN 9780723612599. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  14. Control Of Hospital Infection: A Practical Handbook. ASIN 0340759119.
  15. Lowbury, Edward Joseph Lister; Ayliffe, G. A. J. (1974-01-01). Drug Resistance in Antimicrobial Therapy. ISBN 9780398029661. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  16. Geddes, Alasdair (10 July 2017). "Graham Ayliffe". BMJ. 358: j3333. doi:10.1136/bmj.j3333. PMID 28694289. S2CID 29226430. Retrieved 30 August 2017 – via www.bmj.com.
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