Tori Whitacre Martonicz, MA, is the lead editor of Infection Control Today. She has been a writer and editor for over 30 years and has an MA and BA in English Composition/Literature from the University of Akron in Akron, OH. She lives in Ohio with her husband, Eric; son, Drake; 2 tiny dogs, Selena Brigid Sophia and Doctor Danger Dog; and a big black cat, Freya. She loves reading, writing, gardening, and spending time with her loved ones.
Contact her through her email: tmartonicz@mjhlifesciences.com.
When inclusivity breaks down in the OR, patient safety is at risk. In this interview with Infection Control Today®, Colleen Becker, PhD, MSN, RN, CCRN-K, senior director of perioperative education for AORN, explains how perioperative leaders can use education, empathy, and patient-centered storytelling to address inclusivity challenges, strengthen team culture, and support safer surgical care.
Leprosy remains rare, curable, and widely misunderstood. In this World Leprosy Day interview, infectious disease expert Matthew Pullen, MD, breaks down current epidemiology, transmission risk, and what IPC professionals need to know to respond with evidence-based care—not fear.
Inclusive perioperative teams are safer teams. In this fourth installment of an interview with Infection Control Today, Colleen Becker, PhD, MSN, RN, CCRN-K, explains how teams that reflect the communities they serve improve communication, trust, and infection prevention across the perioperative continuum. When staff feel heard and valued, risks are identified earlier and patient safety is strengthened.
Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) are increasing nationwide, with harder-to-treat NDM strains reshaping the resistance landscape. In this Q&A, Lucas Schulz, PharmD, explains why rapid diagnostics and stewardship are critical to protecting patients and preserving last-line antibiotics.
Creating a culture where nurses feel safe speaking up is essential to proactive infection prevention. In this installment of an interview with Infection Control Today, Colleen Becker, PhD, MSN, RN, CCRN-K, explains how consistent communication, shared data, and team-driven goals help reduce burnout, strengthen accountability, and ensure infection risks are addressed early with patient safety at the center.
Trust and psychological safety are critical to infection prevention in the operating room. In this installment of her interview with Infection Control Today®, Colleen Becker, PhD, MSN, RN, CCRN-K, senior director of perioperative education for Association of periOperative Registered Nurses, explains how leadership that fosters openness and shared accountability empowers perioperative teams to speak up, identify risks early, and strengthen adherence to infection prevention practices.
A broad coalition of medical, public health, and infection prevention organizations is urging federal leaders to reaffirm a transparent, evidence-based US childhood immunization policy. The joint letter warns that reducing recommended vaccines, especially during a severe flu and RSV season, could increase preventable illness, hospitalization, and death among children.
Measles is one of the most contagious viruses health care facilities face, and misinformation makes outbreak response even harder. Infection prevention and control professionals play a critical role by verifying staff immunity, enforcing airborne precautions, ensuring proper respiratory protection, and communicating clear, evidence based guidance. Science, preparation, and trusted messaging remain the strongest tools for protecting patients and health care workers during measles outbreaks.
As 2026 begins, Infection Control Today®'s Editorial Advisory Board reflects on a challenging year shaped by misinformation, policy uncertainty, and relentless change, reaffirming a commitment to science, truth, and supporting IPC professionals who keep showing up for patients and public health.
A West Nile virus survivor and a documentary filmmaker discuss the devastating neurological impact of infection, gaps in public awareness, and why infection prevention, blood screening, and vector control deserve renewed attention.
As misinformation accelerates and public trust is tested, Infection Control Today® reflects on a challenging year and reaffirms its commitment to evidence, clarity, and supporting IPC professionals who continue to confront falsehoods with facts, empathy, and persistence.
Announcing the winner of the 2025 Infection Control Today Educator of the Year Award: Patricia Montgomery, MPH, RN, CIC, FAPIC.
Copper-infused textiles are gaining traction as hospitals confront rising antimicrobial resistance and financial pressure. In this installment of ICT linen roundtable, experts explained how passive antimicrobial fabrics can reduce infection risk, shorten length of stay, protect revenue, and strengthen operational resilience, all while working quietly in the background.
As hospitals seek stronger defenses against health care-associated infections, experts are turning their attention to an unexpected source: copper-infused linens. Learn how, supported by emerging science and real-world feasibility, these textiles may offer a practical and effective way to lower microbial loads and enhance infection prevention bundles in this installment of a recent roundtable on linen issues.
HSPA President Arlene Bush believes the sterile processing profession is stronger—and more essential—than ever. From expanding public awareness to evolving standards and global reach, Bush says the field is driven by dedicated professionals who “do amazing things, 365 days a year,” and deserve recognition for their expertise, resilience, and impact on patient safety.
As hospitals search for new ways to reduce environmental bioburden, copper-embedded textiles are emerging as a promising tool. In this second installment of ICT's recent panel discussion, experts described how these soft, everyday fabrics can rapidly kill microbes, sustain their effectiveness between washes, and strengthen infection control bundles across care settings.
From hospital beds to privacy curtains, textiles may be one of the most underestimated contributors to health care-associated infections, according to experts who say these everyday items deserve far more attention in prevention bundles.
Hand, foot, and mouth disease is spiking across parts of the US, with some states reporting record numbers of outbreaks. Experts say environmental conditions, shifting immunity, and new viral strains may be driving this year’s rapid rise.
Missed opportunities, Graves warned, place patients at risk. Many surgical patients are immunocompromised, and a stethoscope may come near the incision. “Regardless of the scenario, [cleaning the stethoscope] each time is going to protect patients.”
Stethoscope hygiene, UV technology, and dwell time failures took center stage in this second installment of a panel of experts explored why routine disinfection still lags and what must change in clinical practice.
At IDWeek, Mohammad Enayet Hossain, PhD, from ICDDR,B, shared a breakthrough: a portable point-of-care test that works in half an hour and has strong accuracy against RT-PCR. A huge step forward for outbreak readiness.
In this provocative interview, Kevin Outterson, JD, LLM, explains why infection prevention benefits society but costs hospitals, urging fire department–style funding and PASTEUR incentives that reward diagnostics, stewardship, and antibiotic use.