The Infection Control Today® chronic and long-term care facilities page provides news, updates, and guidance on tackling infection prevention in these unique environments, including nursing homes, skilled nursing centers, and assisted-living facilities. This page includes news on cleaning, disinfection, antibiotic stewardship, hand hygiene, isolation precautions, outbreak protocol, and more as administrators and infection prevention teams seek to curb outbreaks of pneumonia, influenza, Clostridioides difficile, urinary tract infections, and skin and soft tissue infections, among others.
February 6th 2025
Fungal infections are a rising global threat, with antifungal resistance complicating treatment. Neil J. Clancy, MD, emphasizes the urgent need for research, better diagnostics, and stronger infection prevention strategies.
Rare Disease Day 2024: Spotlight on Rare Infectious Diseases
February 29th 2024Rare Disease Day on February 29, 2024, shines a global light on the impact of rare diseases, including rare infectious diseases. With a focus on early diagnosis and treatment access, this day highlights the struggles of those with rare conditions.
Hot Topics in IPC: Influenza, COVID-19, and Mechanical Ventilation and Drug-Resistant Pathogens
November 3rd 2023In this Hot Topics in IPC, Saskia v. Popescu, PhD, MPH, MA, CIC, FAPIC, discusses her concerns about COVID-19 and influenza for this winter, and mechanical ventilation and drug-resistant pathogens.
Universal Decolonization Prevents Infection/Hospitalization According to Study's Results
October 16th 2023A study of 28 nursing homes and nearly 29,000 residents reveals that universal decolonization significantly lowered infection-related hospitalizations, offering hope for improved healthcare outcomes.
IPC Pros Helping Other: Engaging Staff Through an Infection Prevention and Control Educational Fair
August 3rd 2023In this installment of IPC Pros Helping Each Other, a long-term care infection preventionists in New Hampshire describes the IPC educational fair her facility organized for the rest of the staff. Michele M, director of nursing services, said, “[The educational fair] was a creative and interactive way to engage staff in infection control education.”
Special Report on Candida auris: An Emerging Drug-Resistant Fungal Threat
June 14th 2023The recent increase in drug-resistant strains of Candida auris, causing mortality at rates as high as 60%, raises questions regarding the spread of this pathogen as a health care-associated infection, cleaning/disinfecting protocol, and treatment via antifungal drugs.
Delving into the Scabies Outbreak Within an Inpatient Rehabilitation Setting
June 12th 2023An outbreak investigation in the American Journal of Infection Control reviews the infection control procedures implemented by an academic medical center in response to a patient's introduction of scabies to health care workers.
CDC Discusses Candida auris: Strategies to Help Control and Prevent Outbreaks
May 5th 2023To control C auris, focus on using antibiotics and improving diagnostics. New treatments in development offer hope for better management. This is the fourth and final installment in CDC's interview with the ICT.
LTC Facilities Face Unique Infection Control Issues During COVID-19 Pandemic
November 29th 2022Integrating home and community, long-term care facilities are supposed to be a haven for patients and their families. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, keeping the patients and the staff safe was a constant battle. An infection preventionist who lived through it discusses the challenges at her facility.