Tori Whitacre Martonicz, MA

At AHE Exchange 2026, ICT spoke with experts representing commercial laundry services, EVS, and infection prevention about the systems behind a successful reusable linen program. They discuss linen quality, reject rates, unnecessary waste, frontline education, data, PAR levels, infection prevention oversight, and why strong relationships between health care facilities and their laundry providers matter.

How do you celebrate an infection that never happened? That's one of the unusual challenges infection preventionists share with teachers. Both can spend their careers changing outcomes they may never see. Both educate people who don't always want to listen. Both are second-guessed. Both face burnout. And both must somehow keep remembering why they started.

Recent changes from CBIC involving IPUs have opened a much bigger conversation about industry, consultants, commercial bias, continuing education, and professional expertise. In a candid Contagious Conversations discussion, 4 experienced IP professionals ask whether the answer should depend on where an educator works or what that educator actually teaches. It is a conversation the IPC community may need to have sooner rather than later.

Can a UV-C robot make up for a surface that wasn't properly cleaned? Experts say that's the wrong way to think about the technology. UV-C can provide an additional layer of microbial reduction, but factors including shadows, distance, positioning, and exposure time mean it cannot replace thorough manual cleaning and disinfection.

During an expert panel at Exchange26 on whole-room microbial reduction technologies, regulatory and health care leaders discussed the distinction between FDA and EPA oversight, what constitutes a medical device claim, the risks surrounding unauthorized or off-label claims, and why IP and EVS professionals should verify a device's regulatory status rather than relying solely on vendor presentations.

“Cutting” waste shouldn’t mean cutting people. At AHE Exchange26, David Green and Donald Sipp explored how EVS departments can improve performance by strengthening workplace culture, empowering employees, eliminating inefficient processes, and understanding EVS’s critical role in patient throughput. One case study showed bed turnaround times falling from nearly 2 hours to less than an hour, but the larger lesson wasn't simply about speed. High-performing EVS operations begin with a strong foundation.

At AHE Exchange26, experts revealed how surprisingly small gaps in linen education can contribute to waste, higher costs, and potential patient safety risks. The solution begins with something simple: helping everyone who touches health care linen understand why their role matters.

The childhood vaccine schedule is changing, but what happens when preventing disease becomes more complicated for families? Public health and infection prevention experts are raising concerns about access, missed vaccination opportunities, vaccine confidence, and what the changes could ultimately mean inside health care facilities.

Community health workers in Malawi are helping close pediatric HIV care gaps by tracing children who miss testing, addressing barriers to care, and connecting vulnerable families with treatment and support.

Malawi has made major progress against HIV among adults, but children continue to lag behind. Community health workers are helping close that gap by finding HIV-exposed infants and children who have fallen out of facility-based care.

The Bug of the Month helps educate readers about existing and emerging pathogens that are clinically important in today's health care facilities. This month’s Bug of the Month isn’t quite like anything we’ve featured before. Can you solve the clues before the final reveal?

In this podcast with ICT, Danielle Updegraff, MBA, BSN, RN, discusses real-time location systems, which can give infection prevention teams greater visibility into hand hygiene, workflow, and infectious disease exposures, but sustainable improvement still depends on staff engagement, leadership, education, and culture.

In this complete interview, ICT speaks with Endale Tilahun, MD, MPH, about a Malawi community program that reduced missed HIV testing and achieved 0.2% positivity among exposed infants through household follow-up, individualized case management, and coordinated health and social support.

Reusable lead aprons and thyroid collars are used daily throughout hospitals, but often fall outside standardized cleaning protocols. Infection prevention and perioperative experts discuss contamination risks, ATP testing, operational barriers, and the need for multidisciplinary collaboration to strengthen environmental hygiene and reduce the risk of HAIs.

Claryx has emerged from stealth with funding and a genomic surveillance platform designed to help hospitals identify hidden transmission chains, trace infection sources, and intervene before outbreaks grow.

Reusable lead aprons and thyroid collars are used daily throughout hospitals, but often fall outside standardized cleaning protocols. Infection prevention and perioperative experts discuss contamination risks, ATP testing, operational barriers, and the need for multidisciplinary collaboration to strengthen environmental hygiene and reduce the risk of HAIs.

Federal officials say new gain-of-function restrictions will improve biosecurity, but infectious disease experts warn limiting carefully regulated research could weaken preparedness for future outbreaks and emerging public health threats.

Following the first reported deaths linked to the Cyclospora outbreak, epidemiologist Tyler Smith, PhD, explains why investigations are so challenging and how infection preventionists can strengthen surveillance and prevention.

Experts say ATP testing, quality improvement projects, and personal patient stories can help infection preventionists secure leadership support for standardized lead apron cleaning and stronger environmental hygiene practices.

Reusable lead aprons and thyroid collars are used daily throughout hospitals, but often fall outside standardized cleaning protocols. Infection prevention and perioperative experts discuss contamination risks, ATP testing, operational barriers, and the need for multidisciplinary collaboration to strengthen environmental hygiene and reduce the risk of HAIs.

Environmental testing found bacterial contamination on many lead garments and described what lead garment cleaning technicians routinely encounter during servicing.

Reusable lead aprons and thyroid collars are used daily throughout hospitals, but often fall outside standardized cleaning protocols. Infection prevention and perioperative experts discuss contamination risks, ATP testing, operational barriers, and the need for multidisciplinary collaboration to strengthen environmental hygiene and reduce the risk of HAIs.

New research presented at AIDS 2026 found that 2-drug HIV regimens and long-acting injectable therapies provide effective treatment while expanding options for individualized care. Investigators say shared decision-making, adherence, quality of life, and reducing long-term medication exposure are increasingly important alongside achieving viral suppression.

New research presented at AIDS 2026 indicates that 2-drug HIV regimens and long-acting injectable therapies are effective treatment options that also enhance personalized care. Investigators highlight that shared decision-making, adherence, quality of life, and minimizing long-term medication exposure are becoming more vital alongside maintaining viral suppression.

Hung Cheung, MD, of the Alliance to Prevent Legionnaires' Disease, says preventing illness requires upstream water management, stronger surveillance, and earlier public health intervention.

International infection prevention leaders discuss how Ireland and Saudi Arabia educate, recruit, and prepare IPC professionals while advocating for broader, multidisciplinary career pathways worldwide.

The FDA says a recent false-positive laboratory result does not change its Cyclospora outbreak investigation. In a media briefing, agency officials explained why epidemiologic evidence and traceback investigations continue to point to shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms as the source of a major multistate outbreak.

The FDA and CDC traced a Cyclospora outbreak to lettuce from Taco Bell in 5 states. Learn the latest findings, expert guidance, and what infection preventionists need to know.

Gian Maria Rossolini, MD, discusses antimicrobial resistance, global surveillance, emerging drug-resistant pathogens, and how clinical microbiology can help improve patient outcomes and public health.

A major cyclosporiasis outbreak is underway. The CDC has confirmed 1,645 domestically acquired cases across 34 states since May 1 — with a multistate cluster of 400+ cases in Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky that investigators believe may share a common food source. Lettuce and salad greens are under scrutiny. For IPs: Standard disinfectants won't eliminate Cyclospora, and the parasite is routinely missed in standard lab panels without a specific order.