Figure. Preferred attributes for decolonization and pathogen reduction approaches to prevent antimicrobial resistance and healthcare-associated infections. Examples of these approaches include the following: highly selective, e.g., selective digestive decontamination targeting aerobic gram-negative bacilli; limited distribution, e.g., nonabsorbable antimicrobial drugs; avoids cross-resistance, e.g., chlorhexidine biocide; high potency, e.g., preventing selection of resistant mutations; stable or reproducible, e.g., use of phages to decolonize or reduce bacterial burden; and microbiome protective, e.g., using the human microbiome to spare beneficial microbes.