What is the primary method a mother should use to prevent spreading a streptococcal puerperal infection to her family?

Performing hand hygiene is the primary method a mother should use to prevent the spread of a streptococcal puerperal infection to her family. This practice is essential because hand hygiene effectively removes pathogens and reduces the risk of transmission, especially in situations where infection is a concern. By thoroughly washing hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand sanitizers, a mother can significantly decrease the likelihood of spreading harmful bacteria to her family members, including infants who are particularly vulnerable to infections.

While wearing a mask, using gloves, and keeping distance from the infant can provide additional protective measures, they are not as universally effective as proper hand hygiene. Masks can prevent respiratory droplets from spreading but are not effective in protecting against contact transmission. Gloves can reduce contamination during specific tasks but do not substitute for handwashing. Maintaining distance may limit exposure but is not practical or necessary to the same extent as the consistent practice of hand hygiene, especially in caring for an infant. Therefore, hand hygiene stands out as the most critical and impactful method for infection prevention in this context.