Prevention

Two unsettling zoonotic developments are testing the limits of infection prevention and public health vigilance in the US. In Washington State, a resident has tested preliminarily positive for avian influenza, marking the first human case in 9 months. Meanwhile, in New Jersey, researchers have documented the nation’s first fatality linked to alpha-gal syndrome, which is a tick-borne meat allergy caused by the bite of the lone star tick.

Elevating IPs into executive leadership isn't symbolic; it's a strategic imperative.

Oman is earning international attention for transforming hospital environmental hygiene into a national success story. Through the Clean Hospitals initiative, updated cleaning contracts, and workforce training, the Ministry of Health is showing how a unified approach to cleaning, auditing, and accountability can reduce infection risk and raise global standards in health care hygiene.

The Bug of the Month helps educate readers about clinically significant pathogens, both existing and emerging, in today's health care facilities.

We all know that preventing employee fatigue and burnout requires a multipronged and ongoing effort to address the issue. There’s probably not a company in this nation that hasn’t experienced exhausted and frustrated employees, and the struggle is real to keep everybody engaged and motivated.

What's it like to be an infection prevention associate and an MPH Student? Read this to hear one person's point of view.

Sherrie is back! In this The Clean Bite, she discusses single-use vs Resusable Dental Supplies. Ultrasonic scaler tips, burs, and endodontic files are often reused despite being marketed as single-use. How many patients are at risk from shortcuts in reprocessing?

"Hospital tray lines operate at high speed to feed hundreds of patients daily. Staff members plate food, cover trays, and load them onto mobile carts that navigate elevators, hallways, and patient rooms. Each of these steps introduces opportunities for contamination."

I’ve known Monica and Tim forever, which is why their sepsis battles aren’t just “patient stories” to me. They’re a reminder that infection hides in ordinary days, and that vigilance, source control, and smart antibiotics save lives.

Just months after many dismissed H5N1 as a past concern, the “bird flu” has returned with force—killing millions of birds, infecting mammals from cows to cats, and raising alarms among scientists who warn the virus is edging closer to human adaptation.

This 6-part series will chronicle the journey of 2 infection prevention leaders, Brenna Doran, PhD, MA, ACC, CIC; and Jessica Swain, MBA, MLT, CIC, IHI, as they partnered to research and shed light on the critical issue of infection prevention staffing in the current health care landscape. From the initial spark of an idea to the publication of an impactful article, a research manuscript, and a podcast, this series will offer an insider’s view of their collaborative process and the profound implications of their findings. This third article in the series will focus on...

If you’ve ever been asked to track flu shots and handle a chemical splash in the same breath, you’ve met the IP–OH blur. Infection prevention and occupational health often intersect—but their missions differ. Knowing where each begins ensures safer patients, safer staff, and smoother responses.

Hidden in plain sight, cubicle curtains are among healthcare’s most-touched—and least regulated—surfaces. Vague “change when soiled” guidance leaves dangerous gaps, as dusty mesh headers and inconsistent replacement cycles quietly seed transmission, underscoring the need for quarterly, trackable swaps and evidence-based standards.

At IDWeek in Atlanta, former CDC director Tom Frieden unveiled a crisp playbook for infection prevention—“See. Believe. Create.”—arguing it can help hospitals spot outbreaks sooner, reverse drug resistance, and drive HAIs toward zero. He paired the message with a 7-1-7 target: 7 days to find an outbreak, 1 to report, 7 to control.

What do schools need to prevent the spread of infectious diseases? Infection prevention experts and school staff in Nebraska present their collaboration at IDWeek2025.

California’s first locally acquired dengue case in 2023 triggered a rapid serosurveillance effort across Southern California—and IDWeek 2025 results suggest infections are underrecognized, with DENV-3 detected and widespread flavivirus cross-reactivity from West Nile virus complicating diagnosis.

Crowded waiting rooms can turn routine checkups into transmission hubs. Here’s how outpatient clinics can cut risk, starting at the front door, with smarter cleaning, hand hygiene, masks, and fewer extra visitors.

Could Dollar General be Alabama’s next vaccination hub? At IDWeek 2025, John R. Bassler, MS, and colleagues showed that strategically pairing mobile clinics with DG stores could help close stubborn geographic vaccine gaps, especially in counties with higher social deprivation where traditional providers are scarce.

Hospital-wide sequencing of 8,567 Staphylococcus aureus isolates at NYU Langone revealed that many MRSA cases stem from tight community transmission networks—not in-hospital spread. Presented at IDWeek 2025, the work pinpoints distinct clusters (young MSM/substance-use networks, long-term care residents, and children) and urges IPC strategies that bridge hospital and community.

At IDWeek 2025, a Detroit consortium reported a familiar IPC paradox in skilled nursing facilities: Staff know the basics, but practice lags. Inconsistent rub times, dwell times, and respirator seal checks point to behavior-focused training—not more slides—as the next move.

A multifaceted infection-prevention push at a tertiary rehab ICU in the Upper Midwest reversed a rise in C difficile, lifting hand-hygiene adherence from 69% to 91% and cutting the C. diff standardized infection ratio from 1.6 to 0.4 over six months, researchers reported at IDWeek 2025 in Atlanta.

New IDWeek 2025 data show who C difficile kills most: White patients, women, and people in major metros—with most deaths tied to health care exposure—underscoring how basics and smarter antibiotics remain our best levers to cut mortality.

On October 20, hospitals worldwide will pause to highlight a vital truth we all know but seldom openly acknowledge: environmental hygiene saves lives. Clean Hospitals Day 2025 offers an opportunity to unite teams, appreciate the environmental services (EVS) professionals who ensure safe care environments, and establish lasting habits that endure well beyond the celebration.

What is a day in the life of a sterile processing department technician like? Read this article by Hannah Schroeder, BSHA, CRCST, CHL, CIS, CER, to find out.