Tori Whitacre Martonicz, MA

How can you prevent Cyclospora infection? This article outlines practical food safety measures, symptom recognition, diagnostic recommendations, and prevention strategies for patients and health care professionals during the current multistate Cyclospora outbreak.

Cyclospora infections are increasing across the US. This article explains how Cyclospora cayetanensis spreads, common symptoms, current outbreak investigations, and the role IPs and IPC professionals play in surveillance, diagnosis, reporting, and public health collaboration.

Why do outbreaks involving Cyclospora, Ebola, Legionnaires' disease, contaminated medical devices, and recalled consumer products matter to infection preventionists? This editorial examines the common lessons from today's emerging infectious threats and explains how surveillance, environmental safety, health care worker protection, and preparedness strengthen infection prevention and control programs across all health care settings.

APIC 2026 presenters Ekaete Usoh, MPH, MSc, CIC, VA-BC, and Risha Patel, MPH, CIC, shared practical strategies for reducing health care-associated infections through health equity, standardized data tracking, and interdisciplinary collaboration while encouraging infection preventionists to take advantage of APIC's educational and networking opportunities.

A new lawsuit alleges a contaminated Olympus duodenoscope transmitted a VRE infection during an ERCP, renewing concerns about endoscope reprocessing, device design, biofilm, and infection prevention and control (IPC) practices. What should IPC professionals know?

A microscopic parasite called Cyclospora is spreading across 17 states. 145 people are sick. Health care workers need to know the warning signs, how to diagnose it, and what to do. Read why this outbreak matters and how to respond.

A Connecticut man's ear infection allegedly progressed to a bone infection and brain abscess, highlighting how routine infections can occasionally become life-threatening when symptoms worsen or spread.

Can structured retention meetings help reduce turnover among infection preventionists? At APIC 2026, Morgan Anderson of Overlake Medical Center Clinics shared how one-hour conversations focused on employee frustrations, strengths, and career goals improved engagement, generated actionable improvements, and helped strengthen workforce retention. Learn why professional development and proactive leadership discussions may be key to keeping talented IPs in the field.

Can a study group improve CIC exam success? According to Patty Montgomery, infection preventionists say yes. At APIC 2026, Montgomery shared findings from nearly 10 years of leading a CIC study group, highlighting the value of peer support, free educational resources, and emerging tools such as AI. Her experience shows that certification is not just about passing an exam—it's about building a stronger infection prevention community.

What happens when your hospital is located on an island, and supplies take weeks to arrive? At APIC2026, Emily Frost, MPH, CIC, LTC-CIP, of Providence Kodiak Island Medical Center, shared how a critical access hospital in Alaska uses innovation, collaboration, and hands-on problem-solving to meet infection prevention and regulatory standards despite significant logistical challenges.

After identifying 2 colon surgical site infections in 2024, Orlando Health South Lake Hospital implemented a standardized perioperative checklist to improve adherence with colorectal SSI prevention practices. Presented at APIC 2026, the project increased appropriate antibiotic prophylaxis, reduced inappropriate antibiotic use, maintained 100% adherence with clean-dirty instrument protocols, and was associated with the elimination of additional colon SSIs during 2025.

At APIC2026, Monica Pogorzelska-Maziarz, PhD, MPH, CIC, FAPIC, FSHEA, FACE, of Villanova University, received the Elaine Larson Distinguished Scientist Award and reflected on mentorship, collaboration, and research that support infection preventionists across the continuum of care.

"Bourbon tick" isn't a joke, as seen in the latest diagnosed case in Long Island, New York. Bourbon virus is a rare tickborne disease linked to severe illness and growing concern among researchers. Learn the symptoms, risks, and prevention strategies as awareness of this emerging pathogen grows.

Live from APIC 2026 in Nashville, the Contagious Conversations team discussed workforce diversity, AI in infection prevention, professional networking, and why APIC remains essential for infection preventionists at every career stage.

Researchers at Advocate Children's Hospital used genomic sequencing, active surveillance, and targeted infection prevention interventions to investigate and control a NICU CLABSI outbreak. Findings presented at #APIC2026 showed the cluster was not caused by a single hypervirulent MSSA strain but highlighted opportunities to strengthen hand hygiene, line maintenance, and ongoing surveillance.

A poster at the APIC Annual Conference and Exposition held from June 15 to 17, 2026, in Nashville, Tennessee. After managing bloodborne pathogen exposures affecting more than 3,000 patients, Providence Health & Services developed a multidisciplinary playbook to improve preparedness, communication, and response during future large-scale events.

An APIC26 poster described a systemwide initiative at Memorial Hermann Health System that improved staff understanding, consistency, and confidence in medical device cleaning and disinfection through education, manufacturer collaboration, and hands-on demonstrations.

As the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda continues to grow, rapid diagnostic testing is emerging as one of the most important tools for outbreak containment. In this interview, Matt Scullion of BioFire Defense explains why the rare Bundibugyo strain presents unique challenges, how modern diagnostic networks have improved since the 2014 Ebola crisis, and why identifying cases quickly may be the most effective intervention when vaccines and treatments are unavailable.

Researchers used whole genome sequencing and traditional epidemiology to trace a cluster of Paraburkholderia fungorum bloodstream infections to contaminated nonsterile ultrasound gel, prompting national safety recommendations.

A quality improvement initiative at Ocean University Medical Center found that reinstating hands-on urinary catheter competency training was associated with a 46% reduction in CAUTIs and improved infection metrics.

Mental wellness remains a critical issue for health care workers. After using Brain-Body Therapy for nearly 2 weeks, I found its combination of guided movement, CBT-informed content, and stress-reduction techniques particularly relevant for infection prevention professionals navigating high-pressure environments. Read my review of this innovative app and why it may help support resilience, stress management, and overall well-being.

Environmental surfaces remain a critical but often invisible component of infection prevention. In this Q&A, experts discuss how real-time microbial visualization technology may help infection preventionists and environmental services teams identify contamination risks, validate cleaning efforts, and improve environmental surveillance beyond traditional methods.

A new study from leaders at ChristianaCare is shining a spotlight on the growing need for greater autonomy, stronger leadership development, and increased recognition for sterile processing departments within healthcare systems. Researchers found that 43% of SPD professionals reported pressure to bypass sterilization protocols due to operational demands, raising concerns about safety culture, staffing, and perioperative decision-making. In this interview, Kevin M. Bush Jr, EdD, DHSc, MSHA, MA, FACHE, CPHRM, CPHQ, CPPS, CIC, CHES; and Brandon Gantt, DHSc, MHA, LSSGBH, discuss their study and why SPD must be recognized as a clinical safety partner central to infection prevention, surgical safety, and patient outcomes.

Sterile processing departments are often called the invisible backbone of surgical care, but a recent investigation involving Penn State Health and Milton S. Hershey Medical Center highlights what can happen when those systems come under pressure. Reports of contaminated instrument trays, sterilization backlogs, staffing strain, and communication breakdowns are raising broader questions about patient safety, infection prevention infrastructure, and operational priorities across health care. ***Updated with an answer from Penn State Health.

A hantavirus outbreak linked to a South American cruise ship is drawing global attention, but experts say fears of a COVID-19-style pandemic are largely unsupported. Infectious disease physician Matthew Pullen, MD, discusses Andes virus transmission, misinformation, cruise ship risks, and what health care professionals should really be watching for.

Matthew Pullen, MD, discusses lessons from COVID-19, health care worker safety, public health fatigue, outbreak preparedness, and why local planning remains essential for future infectious disease threats.

Matthew Pullen, MD, discusses why hantavirus remains a serious but geographically limited threat, explaining how low transmissibility and high mortality reduce the likelihood of a future pandemic.

Matthew Pullen, MD, explains the differences between Sin Nombre and Andes viruses, their transmission routes, and why hantavirus pulmonary syndrome remains a serious public health concern.

A rare hantavirus outbreak linked to a South American cruise ship is drawing global attention, but experts say fears of a COVID-19-style pandemic are largely unsupported. Infectious disease physician Matthew Pullen, MD, discusses Andes virus transmission, misinformation, cruise ship risks, and what health care professionals should really be watching for.

This Q&A with Emily Wheeler examines how the proposed PASTEUR Act could help stabilize the collapsing antibiotic pipeline through a subscription-based federal funding model while supporting antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention efforts. The discussion highlights the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance, including the rapid rise of NDM-CRE, the strain resistant organisms place on health systems and infection prevention teams, and the urgent need for stronger federal support to prevent a worsening superbug crisis.