Infection Control Today, March 2026 (Vol. 30 No.1)

The Bug of the Month helps educate readers about existing and emerging pathogens that are clinically important in today's health care facilities.

AI is transforming hand hygiene monitoring by replacing limited manual observation with continuous, data-driven surveillance. New tools use computer vision and machine learning to detect sanitizer use and identify gaps in adherence.

Animal bites send millions to U.S. emergency departments each year, with risk rising during holidays and periods of increased household activity. This article examines bite-related infection risks, rabies exposure, and what infection preventionists can learn from seasonal trends to better protect patients and communities.

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated a shift away from droplet-based precautions toward a “through the air” framework that recognizes aerosol transmission across a continuum of particle sizes. As measles, SARS-CoV-2, and influenza circulate simultaneously, this article explains why ventilation, respirators, and higher air change rates must become core infection prevention strategies in health care facilities.

Hospital-onset bacteremia is common in burn patients—and often tied to burn severity and surgical wound care, not lapses in quality. New data suggest that HOB may be a poor standalone quality metric for burn centers, raising questions about the fairness of benchmarking in value-based care.

When sterile instruments look perfect but hidden soil remains, patient safety is at risk. In this in-depth ICT article, Marjorie Wall, EDBA, CRCST, CIS, CHL, CSSBB, explains why ultrasonic cleaning is not just equipment, but a critical quality system, and how failures in cavitation, lumen flushing, or water quality can quietly undermine infection prevention in the operating room and sterile processing department.

This article is the first in a 3-part series exploring the "invisible shields" that protect our everyday world from biological threats. In an era defined by rapid climate shifts and 24-hour global travel, biosecurity has evolved from a niche laboratory concern into a critical pillar of national defense. However, this evolution coincides with a period where diplomatic trust is at a historic low and international cooperation is increasingly fragile.