Personal Protective Equipment

The US CDC's sudden cutoff from WHO threatens global health security, leaving infection preventionists scrambling to track deadly outbreaks like Marburg virus, mpox, and avian flu.

Norovirus and avian influenza outbreaks require infection preventionists to enhance hygiene, train staff, implement PPE use, and ensure effective disinfection to protect health care workers, patients, and facilities.

The US withdrawal from WHO threatens global health collaboration, weakening infection control, disease surveillance, and funding for vulnerable nations, undermining decades of progress in combating infectious diseases worldwide.

Read about the CDC’s Health Advisory. The advisory emphasizes the significance of early detection, infection control measures, and interdisciplinary collaboration to reduce risks, guarantee timely treatment, and prevent further spread.

"I was hoping we had learned from COVID-19 that a lot of transmission happens between people who don't believe that they have an illness and others," Deborah Birx, MD, told Infection Control Today.

Read the latest on the rise of H5N1 avian flu. What happens if it combines with COVID-19? Experts answer the most pressing questions.

Public health mandates, such as lockdowns, masking, and vaccination, balance liberty and safety, ensuring critical protections during pandemics like COVID-19 while fostering long-term survival through science.

Veterinarians, technicians, and veterinarian infection preventionists face risks from H5N1 avian flu when handling farm animals or exposed wildlife. Learn key prevention strategies, PPE recommendations, and emerging challenges.

Richard Webby, PhD, the director of the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre or Studies on the Ecology of Influenza in Animals and Birds, discusses the evolving dynamics of H5N1 avian flu, its variants, and the low risk to humans while emphasizing vigilance among health care professionals.

Cameron Memorial Community Hospital streamlined pharmaceutical waste management through signage, training, and collaboration, cutting waste nearly in half and saving costs while boosting staff competencies and accountability.

Explore why CMS must expand COVID-19, influenza, and RSV reporting to include hospital-onset infections, health care worker cases, and ER trends, driving proactive prevention and patient safety.

Gloves, masks, and surface disinfectants are infection prevention powerhouses. Equip your practice with these essentials to protect patients and staff this cold and influenza (flu) season.

The Cherokee parable of 2 wolves illustrates the importance of emotional intelligence in infection prevention. Feeding the "positive wolf" fosters resilience, collaboration, and meaningful leadership.

The CDC HICPAC discussed updates to airborne pathogen guidelines, emphasizing the need for masks in health care. Despite risks, the committee resisted universal masking, highlighting other mitigation strategies

Masking, clean air, and vaccinations are essential in combating COVID-19 and preventing long-term impacts, as evidence mounts of long COVID's significant economic, cognitive, and behavioral effects.

Rapid diagnostics enhance patient outcomes by enabling prompt, targeted treatments, reducing inappropriate antibiotic use, and combating antimicrobial resistance through informed clinical decisions and stewardship programs.

Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP), including ventilator-associated (VAP) and non-ventilator (NVHAP) forms, poses significant health risks, contributing to mortality, readmission, and high costs.

Veterinary medicine's growing focus on infection prevention aims to address zoonotic disease risks, emphasizing specialized training, proactive guidelines, and collaboration between human and veterinary health teams.

Take 5 minutes to catch up on Infection Control Today’s highlights for the week ending October 27, 2024.

The past 5 years in medicine have seen significant advances in RNA vaccines, understanding immune dysregulation, and improved interspecialty communication, promising better disease eradication and tailored treatments.

New research highlights long COVID’s global impact, cognitive decline, and societal consequences, urging renewed focus on prevention, including vaccination, mask use, and better air quality.

Research finds Enhanced Barrier Precautions reduce MDRO transmission in nursing homes, though challenges persist with gown usage, education, and comfort during high-contact care activities.

Meet the experts shaping infection prevention: Infection Control Today's Editorial Board members share insights, experiences, and cutting-edge strategies to enhance health care safety and quality. Meet Priya Pandya-Orozco, DNP, MSN, RN, PHN, CIC.

Use this handout to explain the basics of why infection prevention and control and antimicrobial stewardship are essential and how the 2 fields must have a unified approach to patient and staff safety

Nurse practitioner (NP) and Physician Assistant (PA)-led practices offer autonomy, flexible schedules, and smaller patient loads, which could help mitigate burnout while reducing pressure on traditional healthcare systems and improving infection prevention.