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Paul G. Auwaerter, MD, MBA; Paul P. Doghramji, MD, FAAFP; Aruna Subramanian, MD

Cases and Conversations™: Applying Best Practices to Prevent Shingles in Your Practice

personal protective equipment page offers written and video content on the proper use and—during the time of COVID-19 surges—reuse of PPE, including masks, respirators, gloves, gowns, face shields, goggles, and more. What are the proper donning and doffing methods? How long can PPE be extended? How are these items decontaminated? What comprises proper fit testing? Our experts will tell you.

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.

A Setback on Global Health and Infection Control With US Withdrawal From WHO: An Infection Preventionist’s Opinion

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.

CDC Issues H5N1 Health Advisory: Infection Preventionists Urged to Strengthen Avian Influenza Surveillance and Response

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


Avian Flu: Latest Developments and Should We Be Concerned?

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.

Balancing Freedom and Safety: When Public Health Mandates Are Necessary

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.

Avian Flu Risks in Veterinary Practice: Protecting Those on the Frontlines

Dr. Deborah Birx Unveils Urgent Insights on Avian Flu: What Infection Preventionists Must Know

Deborah Birx, MD, Unveils Urgent Insights on Avian Flu, COVID-19, and HMPV

This interview can also be found on the podcast

Update: On January 13, 2025, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), part of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), announced that it has identified highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a backyard poultry flock in Puerto Rico. This marks the first occurrence of HPAI in domestic birds in Puerto Rico since the outbreak began in February 2022, 

), Deborah L. Birx, MD, shared critical updates on the evolving threat of avian influenza, particularly the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain. With significant outbreaks reported globally, H5N1 has demonstrated its ability to infect various species, including mammals, raising concerns about its potential to mutate and pose a greater risk to humans.

Birx emphasized the importance of proactive infection prevention strategies to address this growing threat. Key measures include enhanced surveillance systems to monitor both human and animal cases, rigorous biosecurity protocols in agricultural and healthcare settings, and robust public health education campaigns to improve awareness and preparedness.

One of the most alarming aspects of H5N1 is its ability to cross species barriers, potentially increasing the likelihood of mutations that could lead to sustained human-to-human transmission. Birx warned that while current human cases remain isolated, the virus’s evolutionary trajectory necessitates vigilance from infection prevention professionals.

“The reason I [have gotten] concerned over the last month was in California, there are 700 of the 1000 dairy herds infected with H5; 70% of the herds are infected. Less than 60 have moved through their infection and are no longer quarantined. So, we know at least 62 or so percent of all dairy herds are infected in California. And if you look at the h1 from California, well, from the region nine, but it's, you know, heavily California, you'll see that flu h1 is like this. So, h1 is dramatically expanding in California. This will be the first time we have had significant h1 infection in the communities. At the same time, you have dairy workers at risk. The principles of prevention are that responding and detecting are critical.”

She also discussed the importance of personal protective equipment (PPE) adherence for high-risk environments, emphasizing that health care workers and agricultural personnel must be adequately trained to recognize symptoms and prevent exposure. Vaccination strategies for poultry and seasonal flu vaccines for at-risk workers are also essential to minimize co-infection risks.

Birx urged infection preventionists to remain informed about ongoing research, international updates, and potential changes in H5N1 behavior. She stressed that early detection and swift action are critical to preventing more significant outbreaks and protecting public health. Her call to action underscores infection prevention professionals' vital role in mitigating the risks of avian flu and other emerging infectious diseases.

This exclusive interview offers timely and actionable insights, equipping infection preventionists with the knowledge needed to address the evolving challenges of H5N1 and safeguard global health.

"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. 


Ambassador Deborah L. Birx, MD, Unveils Urgent Insights on Avian Flu, COVID-19, and HMPV

Pharmaceutical waste challenges

 in Angola, Indiana, faced significant challenges managing pharmaceutical waste, from excessive disposal quantities to unclear waste segregation practices. With a budget-conscious approach and commitment to sustainability, the hospital implemented effective strategies to simplify and improve its waste management processes.

One of the primary issues was the hospital's classification as a large pharmaceutical waste generator, with over 1,200 pounds of waste annually. This designation came with higher fees and highlighted inefficiencies. A breakthrough occurred in 2021-2022, when the hospital partnered with the pharmacy and laboratory departments to identify key areas for improvement. One early success was reducing biohazard container use from 15 to 6, with further consolidation saving costs and streamlining workflows.

Signage played a critical role in the transformation. Clear, strategically placed labels helped staff identify appropriate waste streams, reducing errors. “It’s amazing what ends up in pharmaceutical waste bins—regular trash, specimen cups, even lunch leftovers,” said Darren Goff, executive director of hospitality services. By educating staff and emphasizing proper segregation, pharmaceutical waste was nearly halved to 656 pounds in 2022, keeping the hospital under the small generator threshold.

Training and accountability were equally vital. Staff participated in competency evaluations tied to annual and biannual assessments, reinforcing proper waste disposal practices. These evaluations not only ensured compliance but also fostered a culture of continuous improvement. “We want our frontline workers to feel informed and involved in decisions,” Goff noted.

Looking ahead, the hospital aims to explore alternative disposal companies and methods to further enhance sustainability. With plans extending to 2025, Cameron Royal is dedicated to finding innovative solutions to reduce costs and environmental impact.

This initiative not only improved pharmaceutical waste management but also inspired broader changes in departmental budgeting and accountability. “It’s about simplifying processes, saving money, and empowering our team to make informed decisions,” Goff concluded.

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.

Video Series

Reducing Pharmaceutical Waste: Challenges and Innovations at Cameron Memorial Community Hospital

 Infection Prevention in Veterinary Medicine: A Growing Field with New Challenges

Bluedot Veterinary infection prevention

 has increasingly become a focal point in the conversation about infection prevention. During an interview with 

), Andrea Thomas, DVM, PhD, MSc, BSc, director of epidemiology at BlueDot Global, and Mariana Torres Portillo, MD, infectious disease surveillance manager at BlueDot Global, highlighted how the recent COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of preventing the spread of viruses between humans and animals. The transmission of diseases, such as COVID-19 and mpox, not only among humans but also to pets and wildlife, has opened up a wider discussion about zoonotic diseases that spread between animals and people.

Thomas acknowledged that veterinarians often act as generalists, managing everything from surgery to routine checkups, all while trying to prevent the spread of infections. This tall order is why a more specialized focus on veterinary infection prevention is gaining traction. There is a growing recognition of the need to fill knowledge gaps, particularly with emerging diseases, and to create guidelines to help professionals avoid potential outbreaks.

“The current pandemic that we’re still in has brought that to light,” Thomas told 

. We had a new virus spreading between people, but it could also be passed to our pets. That alone has brought a lot of attention to the need to prevent the sharing of viruses and pathogens between animals and humans….

 That’s a tall order, and it is great to know that this is a growing field and [that there is] a growing…recognition of the need to fill those gaps and have people who are dedicated to thinking about this problem, communicating around it, and developing guidelines, because we don’t always have those—especially with emerging infectious diseases—in veterinary health care.

“It’s a lot to stay on top of. You’re already treating the patients in front of you. [Still], you also need to understand what could be coming your way that you need to prepare for. [It] is a tall order, and having professionals who are dedicated to monitoring those trends, getting ahead of them, and developing guidelines before they’re needed, hopefully, is going to be a huge benefit to the field,” Thomas continued.

For instance, zoonotic diseases account for an estimated 75% of emerging infections.

 Recent research from China has identified dozens of animal viruses that could become future public health threats.

 As Torres Portillo emphasizes, professionals dedicated to monitoring these threats and developing proactive guidelines will be essential for keeping both animals and humans safe.

“I think we should first…[improve] the air quality…. [There are] many discussions into airborne pathogens, droplets vs aerosols, that have been concealed to further prevent [pathogens]. [At the] top [of the list will]be handwashing for many pathogens, [as] that is another way of transmission.” Torres Portillo said.

Regarding recommendations for veterinary infection preventionists, the focus is on fundamental actions, such as air filtration, improved hand hygiene, and a One Health approach that integrates human, animal, and environmental health. Torres Portillo also highlighted the need to protect veterinary professionals, as they are often in direct contact with animals and their fluids, increasing their risk of exposure.

A key opportunity is a more vital collaboration between human and veterinary infection prevention teams. Learning from human health experiences can help enhance veterinary protocols, bridging gaps across both fields.

“Just like in health care, these are critical resources…. We don’t have enough of them in veterinary medicine, either.” Thomas said. “There is a shortage, and we need to protect their health. That’s absolutely critical…and I do think there are gaps. It is an area that hasn’t had as much focus as it has for human health. It’s also asking a lot for public health to take on that responsibility, too, where there may not be as much expertise. Having a dedicated veterinary infection prevention training, [having] guidelines developed, [and] building that field up would be valuable across multiple fronts.”

Both Thomas and Torres Portillo see opportunities for a stronger collaboration between human and veterinary infection prevention teams. “This whole conversation is how we’re all connected. We can’t have a separation between human and animal health, so I think it will have to be very cross-collaborative,” Thomas said.

Whitacre Martonicz T. Veterinary infection prevention: a discussion with Leslie Kollman, BS, CVT, CIC. 

. June 20, 2024. Accessed October 28, 2024. 

https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/veterinary-infection-prevention-discussion-leslie-kollmann-bs-cvt-cic

’s editorial advisory board member: David Levine, PhD, DPT, MPH, FAPTA. 

. August 21, 2024. Accessed October 28, 2024. 

https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/meet-infection-control-today-s-editorial-advisory-board-member-david-levine-phd-dpt-mph-fapta

Milbank C, Vira B. Wildmeat consumption and zoonotic spillover: contextualising disease emergence and policy responses. 

. 2022;6(5):e439-e448. doi:10.1016/S2542-5196(22)00064-X

Zhao, J, et al. Farmed fur animals harbour viruses with zoonotic spillover potential, 

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.


 Infection Prevention in Veterinary Medicine: A Growing Field With New Challenges

Infection Control Today's (ICT's) Editorial Board members

Meet Priya Pandya-Orozco, DNP, MSN, RN, PHN, CIC.

's) Editorial Board members—a diverse group of professionals dedicated to advancing infection prevention and control practices. This series highlights each member's unique expertise and contributions to the field.

From groundbreaking research to innovative strategies, these experts are at the forefront of enhancing health care safety. Join us as we learn their insights, experiences, and visions for the future, providing valuable knowledge and inspiration to elevate infection control protocols.

In this installment, we hear from Bernadette “Priya” Pandya-Orozco, DNP, MSN, RN, PHN, CIC, is the manager for infection prevention at O'Connor Hospital, which is part of the County of Santa Clara Hospital and Health System.

My name is Priya Pandya-Orozco, and I am an infection prevention and control manager. My journey started in infection control quite a long time ago. I would say it was about 26-27 years ago, [and] I was in labor and delivery and doing my care as a bedside nurse. I started thinking about how infection can spread from just not wearing appropriate PPE [personal protective equipment], maybe at the birthing when a patient is about to eminently give birth.

I thought about ideas for how I could wear PPE. I remember thinking there was some talk about how sometimes putting PPE on can remove the connection with your patient. And I thought, but we need to protect ourselves. And how do you do that? And how can you explain it?

So, it was my first thought as a new nurse—thinking about what and how I protect myself from infections. How do I ensure that I'm also protecting my patient? And that's where my brain started, like morphing into, what was it? I didn't even know at the time, honestly, that there was this whole infection prevention department, and that feels like a complete blackout in my mind, like I should have known that I was going to be my passion, my love, for the rest of my life.

That was quite a long time ago. Then, I went into public health and worked there for about 7 years. I worked on communicable disease and immunization services, seeing prevention at the front line and looking at how we reach communities that are at risk. And that was another love of mine.

Then, in 2009, H1N1 hit, and we also had some pertussis outbreaks. Infection prevention in the acute care hospital was such a solid partner with public health. I thought, “Oh, wow. Wouldn't it be great if I could join that force there in the acute care setting?”

So, I did, and I joined and followed them. This is where I ended up. I ended up as a manager later on, and I started as a baby infection preventionist. I was trained and mentored by some amazing bosses who helped guide and steer me in the right direction, and I've ended up here and am very happy.

So, trending topics right now for me are focused on environmental cleaning and disinfection, as I'm sure everybody else is. Still, I'm looking—and I have been for a very long time—with the instructions for use [IFU] by the manufacturers, and they're very difficult to comprehend. I've found some that have been so difficult to understand. The grammar is incorrect. It doesn't fit a hospital. They are marketing to a hospital but provide information or instructions only done in a home; they don't get clear guidelines.

So those things concern me because I am thinking about newer IPs. How do you navigate that? How do you figure out how to get the manufacturer to give you something doable for the frontline, and then with the focus of reducing the number of disinfectants in a hospital, to 3 or 4 and one being sporicidal you want to reach out and just say, “Can we have one that does it all?” Because it's just so hard, and you want to make the frontline have an easier process.

The whole point of cleaning and disinfection is that we shouldn't make it more complicated with 19 different products that have to be utilized when they don't all kill the same pathogen. You can't say that you have a clean environment if you find out later [that] you have a high-level or high-priority pathogen, like 

 and you’re not utilizing a disinfectant that would kill [those pathogens].

Everybody knows you come to the hospital, and maybe, on day 1 or day 2 of your admission, we start to see you have symptoms of a certain pathogen. How, then, are we supposed to go back and look at what has come in and out of the room and is not properly disinfected?

So, those are the things that are difficult. We're trying to make a focused effort to educate our frontline, [and] everybody, even all our hospital staff and providers, about what cleaning and disinfection are, how to use the products effectively, and give visual aids to everyone so that they have it at their fingertips.

Some of the hot topics coming out again are similar to the manufacturers IFUs, looking and going, and I know there's a lot of work at APIC [Association for Professionals in Infection Prevention and Epidemiology] to lean in and say, “This is what we need to do.”

What Should ICT Cover in the Next 18 Months?

There was a recent paper on the IFU, and that was helpful. We educated our leadership on that, and that helped tremendously. But sometimes you're underwater with anything happening, and you don't know that these things are above your head and circling, and you need to be looking at those pieces.

But how do you give people even more education to like newer IPs, or even seasoned IPs, and say, here's a repository that needs to go out? I want to say, it's a memo. I think it'd be nice to have things [like the] health alert networks in different states. So, we have 

 here in California, so it'd be interesting if we had something like a CAHAN message that came out through 

 and said, “This is something that you could send out.” And it would be like an SBAR [Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation] to share with everyone, taking this as what it is. Instead of the IP having to make the message when it's the same message, we're saying there's a way to summarize it generally. I think about those things because I try to make them general.

After all, we serve many different areas, including subacute, SNFs [skilled nursing facilities], hospitals, and clinics, and we want to make sure that it meets their needs and what they can utilize. When we give instructions on…how we want them to take this information and share it with the frontline, I think that might be extremely helpful.

I think I should also focus on what cleaning and disinfection are. We are partners with—and I have always said this--I'm partners with SPD [sterile processing department] and EVS [environmental services], walking in. Because you need to know how everyone who's cleaning instrumentation and who's cleaning our environment. You need to understand what their hardships are. What training are they receiving? You need to be a part of those trainings. Those are difficult to be a part of when you're trying to do surveillance and keep up with everything; it will help you in the long run if you partner with those wonderful teammates in EVS and SPD.

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.

Meet Infection Control Today's Editorial Advisory Board Member: Priya Pandya-Orozco, DNP, MSN, RN, PHN, CIC

Meet Matt Pullen, MD, ICT EAB Member

This installment is from Matthew Pullen, MD.

I am Dr Matthew Pullen at the University of Minnesota. I am an infectious disease physician and assistant professor of infectious diseases and international medicine. I've been asked to talk about my journey into health care and infection prevention and the trends I want to see in infection prevention in 

. So, as far as getting into medicine, [it is] something I always wanted to do, even when I was a little kid. My parents always had 

s around our house. I remember that, in kindergarten, there was an early 3D rendering of a bacteriophage on the cover. And I drew that in my journal in kindergarten and loved it. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. I just always loved anything about viruses and bacteria.

Going into later years, in high school, I [was] still interested in it, volunteered in clinics and hospitals when I could, [then] continued doing that in college. Then [I] got into genetic research at college, under the mentorship of Dr Margaret Kovac, who was just a wonderful geneticist at the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga.

From there, I interned as an intern geneticist with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) at the FBI Academy. I stayed on there for a bit, doing genetics work in the Counterterrorism Support and Forensic Research Unit. Most of my work was related to mitochondrial DNA using technologies that, at the time, were ahead of the market, so things that weren't available to anyone else that today—it was long enough ago—that today they would be massively outdated and slow and useless, but in 2006 they were cutting-edge.

After that, I was still trying to decide if I wanted to do research or clinical medicine. I decided my heart was still in clinical medicine, so I applied to medical school. While doing that, I took a research position at Vanderbilt University, working in a lab that specialized in the genetics of the circadian rhythm. So, I kept one foot in the genetics world.

It took 2 cycles, but [I] got into medical school at the University of Tennessee in Memphis. I had a great education there, stayed there for my internal medicine residency, and got a phenomenal clinical education. Then, after that, it was time to apply for a fellowship in infectious diseases. I wanted to learn some aspects of international health during my fellowship training, and Minnesota has a very strong track record for that. They have a core research group that is doing a lot of work in Uganda.

During residency, I got to work in Kenya, right next door, so I was a little familiar with the region. So, I came here and started working with David Boulware, [MD, MPH, professor of medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine] on cryptococcal meningitis and tuberculosis research and got to spend a little bit of time in Uganda my first year of fellowship. Then, through his mentorship, he got a Fogarty fellowship to the National Institutes of Health and spent a full year living in Uganda researching drug-resistant [tuberculosis]. While there, I got to work a little with Doctors Without Borders. They have an isolation unit in the town that I lived in, so I got to see the inner workings of that.

When I returned to Minnesota, we opened what is now our hospital's regional special pathogens unit. So, I asked to join that team, and I was the first fellow who was crazy enough to decide to join that team. Now, we make it a part of the fellowship program where they can be exposed to it. But we got to do training on infection control for Ebola virus, Lassa, and all kinds of high-complication pathogens that, thankfully, we have not seen here yet. I'm still a member of that team.

Then, ICT asked me to join the Editorial Advisory Board. I have contributed a few pieces and quotes here and there.

As far as trends that I see in infection prevention, one trend that I really like is I think we are taking a much more pragmatic and practical approach to infection prevention. Or most of my medical education, everything has been ramped up to a 10 with infection prevention. You know, every MRSA case is gowns and gloves. Everything is maximum materials being used, and in the last few years, more and more research has come out that's shown maybe we're a little overboard with that. There are questions of whether the MRSA we're seeing is community-acquired or hospital-acquired; it may be where our resources are better spent in the community or on other prevention methods. So, I think that's good. I think being open to changing our way of thinking will help save costs in health care and make these resources more available when needed.

 for the rest of the year, I think that falls into 2 buckets: practical things that we should cover and then pet interests that I think are interesting but are probably not very practical. As far as practical things, I think you like the trends getting into some of the more cutting-edge research on practicality versus utility and efficacy in infection control emerging pathogens as more comes out about 

, and resistant pseudomonas, and things like that. Those are things that day-to-day will be helpful from the less practical but personally interesting side of things would be little pieces on infection control and bioterrorism and biodefense agents, those things that we don't think about often because they're not huge day-to-day concerns. Still, if you're on call when smallpox walks into your ER, you should know how to handle that.

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 Matthew Pullen, MD. 


Meet Matthew Pullen, MD, Infection Control Today's Editorial Advisory Board Member

Insights on Double-Gloving with Dr. Hudson Garrett

’s) conversation with Hudson Garrett, PhD, MSN, MPH, MBA, FNP-BC, IP-BC, CPHRM, CIC, CHIPP-B, LTC-CIP, CPPS, CPHQ, CVAHP, FACHDM, FAPIC, FAAPM, FNAP, FACHE, FSHEA, FIDSA, an adjunct assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, and a professor of emergency medical services and critical care at Phoenix Institute and College, the importance of double-gloving in infection control was emphasized. Garrett highlighted how this simple yet effective practice significantly enhances protection for healthcare workers, especially in high-risk environments such as emergency and critical care settings.

Double-gloving involves wearing 2 layers of gloves, which provides an additional barrier against potential exposure to infectious agents. Garrett pointed out that while single-glove use is standard, the added layer from double-gloving can reduce the risk of glove perforation and contamination during procedures. This is particularly crucial during invasive procedures where the likelihood of exposure to blood-borne pathogens and other infectious materials is higher.

"Everything that we can do to reduce that risk of our own floor as health care providers being introduced into that surgical field is going to be huge, and that starts with surgical hand hygiene,” Garrett said. “It includes our personal protective equipment (PPE) protection and things like gloves. But it also, again, goes an extra layer of protection to make sure that my health care workers are safe too.”

Garrett stressed that double-gloving not only protects health care workers but also contributes to patient safety by minimizing the risk of cross-contamination. He advocated for the routine adoption of double-gloving in health care settings where the risk of infection is significant. The practice is especially important in the context of emerging infectious diseases and pandemics, where the safety of health care providers is paramount to maintaining a functional and responsive health care system.

“Keep in mind that the use of gloves, gowns, and other PPE is at the very bottom of our pyramid in terms of infection control interventions, but it is an important part of our sort of tool belt,” Garrett said. “My job is to always make sure, whether I'm working with a perioperative nurse or clinician, a surgeon or another [infection preventionist], that our tool belt is as wide and deep as possible.”

The conversation concluded with a call for more education and training on the benefits of double-gloving, ensuring that health care professionals are fully aware of its importance in infection control and patient safety.

In an ICT® interview, Dr. Hudson Garrett emphasized double-gloving in infection control as crucial for protecting health care workers and patients, especially in high-risk environments.

Henry Spratt, Editorial Advisory Board member video

From groundbreaking research to innovative strategies, these experts are at the forefront of enhancing health care safety. Join us as we learn their insights, experiences, and visions for the future, providing valuable knowledge and inspiration to elevate infection control protocols. 

In this installment, we hear from Henry Spratt, Jr, PhD. Spratt is the senior microbiologist and professor at the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga and has dedicated over 3 decades to the study of microbiology, particularly in environmental settings. 

Initially focusing on wetland microbiology and bioremediation, Spratt’s research contributed significantly to understanding how microbes in wetlands can be harnessed to clean up toxic environments, such as those affected by acid mine drainage. However, his career took a pivotal turn about 20 years ago when he began collaborating with David Levine, PhD, DPT, MPH, FAPTA, a physical therapist and another member of 

's Editorial Advisory Board, leading Spratt into the realm of health care-related microbiology.

This collaboration began with a study of the microbial environment in physical therapy clinics, leading to their first published paper a decade ago. The success of this research prompted their university to establish the Clinical Infectious Disease Control Research Group in 2015. This interdisciplinary group has since been instrumental in monitoring environmental contamination in various health care settings, including inpatient and outpatient clinics, veterinary clinics, and long-term care facilities.

In this video, Spratt highlights a critical issue in many health care facilities: the lack of consistent and effective infection prevention practices, particularly in environments where environmental services are outsourced to contractors. His research has revealed concerning levels of contamination in various health care settings, including the presence of multidrug-resistant organisms like Methicillin-resistant 

. Despite these findings, he notes that the response from health care administrators is often inadequate, largely due to constraints imposed by low-bid contracts and high staff turnover among cleaning personnel.

A significant part of Spratt’s work now focuses on advocating for better infection control practices and educating health care professionals about the importance of environmental monitoring. His research group has developed rapid and cost-effective methods for detecting live bacterial contaminants on surfaces, which could revolutionize how health care facilities monitor and manage their environments.

Spratt also discusses the potential of new detection technologies, such as biosensors equipped with aptamers—small pieces of single-stranded DNA that bind to specific bacterial proteins. These sensors could provide instantaneous detection of harmful bacteria in clinical settings, greatly enhancing infection prevention efforts. With continued research and development, these tools could become affordable and widely accessible, even in resource-limited settings.

Spratt’s journey from environmental microbiology to health care-related research underscores the critical need for robust infection prevention practices in health care settings. His work not only highlights the gaps in current practices but also offers innovative solutions that could significantly improve patient safety and outcomes.

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 Henry Spratt, Jr, PhD. 

Meet Infection Control Today's Editorial Board Member: Henry Spratt, Jr, PhD

IP and AMR stewardship to the c-suite

Sometimes, communicating the needs of infection prevention programs to top-level executives is not straightforward. How can we ensure that these programs receive adequate resources and support from high-level decision-makers

Susan Casey Bleasdale, MD, an infectious disease specialist now a chief quality officer, understands the strategies for advocating infection prevention programs to the C-suite and securing effective resource allocation and support.

In the field of infectious disease, you are not limited to 1 organ system. You're looking at the whole patient.

Bleasdale, MD, is the chief quality officer, assistant vice chancellor of quality and patient safety, and medical director of infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship at the University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System (UIH). She will present “Creating a Business Plan for Infection Prevention and Antimicrobial Stewardship” at the Society of Epidemiology of America in Houston, Texas, held from April 16 to 19, 2024.

“The lead into the topic is ‘show me the money.’ It's also about how teams in infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship can market their programs before the appropriate support and resources are available. And I'm going to market it to the C suite. And I think that this talk, in particular, I'm giving as someone who's been in both rounds. I have been in infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship, but I sit now in the C suite myself…I understand what the things that you need to look at when you're looking at dedicating resources and support to a program for your health system or your hospital are to be able to improve quality in some way. And so, the talk is about how you build the resources. And how do you how do you give your pitch to the C suite?”

 then asked Bleasdale how she went from being a doctor to sitting in the C-suite. “I would say because I'm starting in infectious disease, I have an impact on trying to improve the quality of care of my patients. I've been doing infection prevention since I was in training and stewardship…. I've been involved in the work of improving outcomes and the quality of care. [My path] just made sense to expand to be a chief quality officer; there are several infectious disease physicians who are chief quality officers as well because, again, we have an impact. I think the other thing is that in the field of infectious disease, you are not limited to 1 organ system. You're looking at the whole patient.”

Discover strategies for advocating infection prevention programs to the C-suite, ensuring resources, leadership support, and impactful outcomes.

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