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 prevention page contains news and information on the latest updates on all facets of infection prevention. From vaccinations and immunizations to controlling air and water flow in a health care system, preventing infections falls not only on the infection prevention staff, but on all who interact within the hospital, from environmental services teams to those planning and building new construction.   

Articles

		Youth, prison inmates and individuals with multiple tattoos that cover large parts of their bodies are at higher risk of contracting hepatitis C and other bloodborne diseases, according to a University of British Columbia study.

Tattooing Linked to Higher Risk of Hepatitis C

How To Perform Surgical Hand Scrubs

Cases of COVID-19, RSV, and influenza are expected to rise this fall and winter season; yet, the number of people who plan on getting the vaccines for each of the infections remains low, according to the NFID announcement today.

Low Vaccination Concerns Highlight Need for Fall and Winter 2023 Vaccination Campaigns

As COVID-19 restrictions eased up, other respiratory viruses began circulating alongside SARS-CoV-2. It's crucial to identify cases and understand the symptoms of these infections to track the evolution of the virus and what health care workers should look out for.

Evolving Symptomatology: Respiratory Viruses in the Era of COVID-19 Variants

Infection preventionists (IP) can come from many different backgrounds. This is 1 opinion from 1 very successful IP who doesn't have an RN or a BSN and the bullying that sometimes occurs.

I’m Not Just an Infection Preventionist

Many infection preventionists (IPs) disagree on the minimum requirement to have the IP position.  Let Infection Control Today know your opinion.  Answer this poll, and send your thoughts to Senior Editor Tori Whitacre Martonicz at tmartonicz@mjhlifesciences.com.

Poll: What Minimum Educational Requirement Should Infection Preventionists Have?

The interaction between the respiratory viruses SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and RSV, poses ongoing challenges. Personal protective measures, testing, and vaccination are critical components of our strategy to mitigate the impact of these viruses.

How to Prepare For Possible “Tripledemic” of RSV, Influenza, and SARS-CoV-2

), public health expert Ambassador Deborah Birx, MD, a Senior Fellow of the George W. Bush Institute in Dallas, Texas, highlighted the significant changes, particularly in data-driven actions since she last spoke with 

 in May 2023, when the public health emergency was officially ended. Birx expressed her concerns regarding the lack of proactive use of data to drive action and emphasized the need to empower communities with the information they need to protect vulnerable individuals.

One major shift that Birx pointed out is the change in the federal government's approach to COVID-19. She said, “Our federal agencies took a very almost blasé approach now to COVID-19.”

While data collection efforts have not ceased, Birx said, “They may as well have because they're not using the data to drive action. So, my feeling is if you're going to go to the trouble to set up wastewater surveillance, then use it.” This is a crucial oversight, Birx believes, especially given the recurring nature of COVID-19 waves, specifically the predictable summer wave, which has occurred every year since 2020. When wastewater surveillance data indicated an uptick in COVID-19 in specific communities, she argued that immediate alerts should have been sent out to those areas. These alerts would have reminded individuals, especially older persons, who are at higher risk of severe disease, hospitalization, and death to ensure their immunizations were up-to-date, know where to get tested, and have access to treatment options.

Birx emphasized the importance of acting swiftly during these short-lived waves, which typically last 6 to 8 weeks. Simple protective measures, such as testing symptomatic individuals within households and avoiding large social gatherings, could significantly reduce the spread of the virus. However, she pointed out that the CDC did not issue timely warnings to communities facing rising cases.

Birx urged health authorities to use the data collected to inform decisions and empower people with the necessary information to protect vulnerable family members and communities. She believes that data-driven action is the key to preventing hospitalizations and deaths among the elderly and other high-risk populations.

Birx said, “We have technology, we have innovation, we have data, and we're not using the data for decision-making, and we're not empowering people with the information that they need to protect their vulnerable relatives.”

Deborah Birx, MD, highlights concerns about the lack of data-driven action in the fight against COVID-19. She emphasizes the need for timely alerts and empowering communities to protect vulnerable individuals.


Video Series

The Critical Role of Data-Driven Action in the Fight Against COVID-19

, Ambassador Deborah Birx, MD, a prominent figure during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, shares insights on collaboration, innovation, and the need for change in public health practices. While discussing the challenges and opportunities faced during the pandemic, Birx emphasizes the importance of community engagement, real-time communication, and adapting to the unique needs of each community.

Birx highlights the remarkable collaboration and coordination that took place at various levels of government and among international organizations during the pandemic. She acknowledges the crucial role played by federal, state, and local governments in working together to find innovative solutions to combat the virus.

“I almost feel like the book that needs to be written and that I would love to have time to write is the positive, clear evidence base of how people work together to innovate and save lives,” Birx explained. “And it goes not only across the federal government, but the communications that [were] set up to constantly interact with the states, at the mayor level, and at the [federal] government level, allowed us to bring forward solutions because people all across the country are having breakthroughs. And it allowed us to then communicate that out in real time.”

Birx also commends the health care sector for its cooperation, particularly among hospitals. Hospitals put aside competition and established a system to match patients with specific needs to available resources, ensuring the efficient allocation of medical care.

Moreover, she expresses gratitude towards the private sector for their rapid response and innovation in developing tests, monoclonal antibodies, antivirals, and vaccines within a short timeframe. “There wasn't one thing that I asked the private sector to do that they didn't do, in real-time, at risk, not knowing if [the federal government agencies] were going to [pay them]. We made no payment promises to most of these organizations, particularly the test developers. And they had a meeting that first week of March [2020] when I came in, and I had tests across every platform in every platform made across the United States within weeks, and then I had antigen tests within months. That's amazing. These groups never get credit for that.”

Dr. Birx advocates for a data-driven approach to public health, emphasizing the importance of using data for action. Drawing parallels with the success of controlling HIV, she suggests that daily warnings should be sent out to those at risk based on real-time hospitalization and mortality data. This approach aims to empower individuals with information and guide them towards taking necessary precautions.

To rebuild trust in public health, Birx emphasizes the need for federal agencies, such as the CDC, to engage with communities at the grassroots level. She believes that federal institutions, especially the CDC, should be on the ground, listening to and understanding the challenges faced by Americans.

She underscores the importance of adapting guidance to meet the unique needs and situations of each community, promoting dialogue, and allowing questions and answers to bridge the gap between public health experts and the public.

“For years, CDC has withdrawn from the community and engagement at the community level, Birx said. “What do I mean by that? They're not in the trenches with the people with what they're going through in the reality of their lives and what they're confronting. And it's different in different areas of America. But [the CDC] should be on the ground, working at the community level, at the local level, at the state level, to understand the lives of Americans and what they need. Because to rebuild trust, people have to see you. They have to understand that you're going to listen and that you're going to act on the information they have given you. And they see the CDC and our public health system as divorced from the reality of their lives.”

Birx's comments provide valuable information on the importance of working together, being creative, relying on data, and involving the community in public health efforts. Her suggestion to regain trust by connecting with people and adjusting to their requirements serves as a strong reminder of how these principles can help combat pandemics.


Deborah Birx, MD, discusses the significance of collaboration, innovation, data-driven decision-making, and community engagement in public health. Her insights underscore the need for trust-building and adaptability in pandemic response.

Rebuilding Trust in Public Health: Continuing a Conversation with Deborah Birx, MD

The Association for the Health Care Environment (AHE) Exchange Conference & Solution Center brings together individuals who are passionate about environmental hygiene in the health care industry. Doe Kley, MPH, RN, T-CHEST, LTC-CIP, CIC, Infection Prevention Fellow for Clorox Healthcare, and adjunct lecturer for the department of education and human ecology at The Ohio State University at the conference and shared valuable insights with 

) about her presentation and 2 sessions she found valuable. The AHE was held in Dallas, Texas, from July 31 to August 2, 2023.

: Please summarize your AHE presentation?

Doe Kley, MPH, RN, T-CHEST, LTC-CIP, CIC:

 The presentation that I gave at AHE was titled “Deepening Your Understanding of Environmentally Spread Emerging Pathogens.” As the title implies, this talk was specific to those emerging pathogens that have the potential to be spread by contaminated surfaces—albeit some more than others. This talk was inspired by the events of the past few years. The 21st century has been impacted by emerging infectious diseases on an unprecedented scale.

I started this talk with a little background into the problem, primarily why we are seeing an increase in novel pathogens (eg, climate change and urbanization). I then reviewed some of the challenges associated with these pathogens, particularly as they relate to environmental services [EVS], including things like our general lack of preparedness, limited treatment options, a tendency to cause outbreaks, and cleaning and disinfecting against pathogens. Because it can be quite complex, I reviewed the EPA’s viral emerging pathogen policy, including a comprehensive overview of EPA’s List Q.

I also reviewed several selected emerging pathogens. These included 

], carbapenem-resistant organisms, hemorrhagic viral fevers, and seasonal respiratory pathogens. Since we went several years with a nearly nonexistent influenza season, these seasonal pathogens are reemerging. Last year’s influenza season started and peaked a few months earlier than usual. However, the experts at BlueDot Global Surveillance believe that the timing of these seasonal pathogens is progressing back to prepandemic patterns.

Finally, I provided the participants with several resources, including pathogen education sheets on the pathogens I addressed, a cleaning frequency risk assessment, and an emerging pathogen checklist for EVS leaders.

: What are you most excited about at this year’s AHE meeting?

 I was excited to see several IPs [infection preventionists] attending the conference along with their EVS teams. Every IP should attend the AHE conference at least once in their career and, better yet, attend with your EVS manager. Another thing that was great is that I am seeing more EVS leaders bringing their supervisors, leads, and even frontline workers to the conference with them.

As for sessions, 2 stood out to me. The first was a session presented by the CDC titled “The Role of Environmental Services in Controlling Outbreaks of High-Impact Pathogens.” This presentation piggybacked nicely on the one I gave. The CDC presenters reminded us that cleaning and disinfection are part of standard precautions.

I also appreciated how the presenters helped participants understand the importance of communication between EVS and IPs, particularly during outbreaks or other emergency situations, such as the presence of an emerging pathogen. They also made this session interactive with “what would you do” scenarios leveraging a real-life outbreak of carbapenem-resistant 

The second session was titled “From Survival Mode to Flourishing.” In this highly motivating talk, Benjamin Kenyon, an EVS supervisor in upstate New York, shared ideas for EVS leaders to move outside of their status quo comfort zone to establish a highly engaged team

 Mr Kenyon was very much about having the frontline workers be part of the solution to whatever problem is being faced. He also discussed standardization quite a bit, ranging from EVS cart setup to cleaning processes. Another area that is ripe for standardization is product. For example, why have EVS use one bleach manufacturer’s product for 

rooms and terminal cleans while clinical staff use a different manufacturer’s bleach wipes? Wouldn’t it be easier and make more sense to educate everyone [on] the same product, same instructions for use, and same contact time?

ICT: Anything else you would like to add?

 Every IP should consider attending the AHE conference. They do such a great job with the program, ranging from the quality of speakers to the exhibit hall to the fun activities. By attending this conference, IPs will gain an appreciation for the EVS profession that they otherwise may never have.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. You can watch the video to see the entire interview.

Doe Kley, MPH, RN, T-CHEST, LTC-CIP, CIC, speaks to Infection Control Today about her presentation and other exceptional presentations at the Association for the Health Care Environment (AHE) Exchange Conference & Solution Center 

Environmental Spread of Emerging Pathogens: AHE Conference Discussion

As students return to school, a crucial question arises: Should they be required to wear masks? The answer to this question, like many aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic, is complex and depends on various factors.

) spoke with Ambassador Deborah Birx, MD, a highly respected American physician and public health expert who has played a pivotal role in the field of global health and infectious diseases. Throughout her distinguished career, Birx has made significant contributions to the fight against HIV/AIDS and has been at the forefront of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Birx was appointed as the White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator on the US Coronavirus Task Force. In this role, she played a key part in guiding the nation's response to the pandemic, providing valuable insights and data-driven recommendations to mitigate the virus spread

The effectiveness of vaccines in providing long-term protection against infection is limited. Additionally, natural immunity acquired through previous infection also wanes relatively quickly. This raises concerns about the vulnerability of children under 18 in the school system, where close contact and the exchange of saliva are common occurrences. However, now “we have tools to treat people who are at risk,” Birx told 

. “ And we have tools in the vaccines to ensure that the teachers who are vulnerable are actively immunized so that we don't have to worry about if they get infected [that] they're at risk.”

The key question is whether masks should be mandatory for students. The consensus is that vulnerable children should wear masks during waves or surges of COVID-19 cases. The decision should be informed by local data and community circumstances. Well-fitted masks, including N95s, offer a level of protection that is especially crucial for vulnerable children.

Furthermore, it's important to foster understanding among students and their families. Rather than assuming that mask-wearing is a political statement, it should be seen as a matter of personal safety and consideration for others. “I have a great respect for people who proactively mitigate during a surge…to protect their family members. And we should see that as a point of personal empowerment and respect for others, particularly that they may have people at home at risk,” Birx said.

Timely communication from public health agencies, like the CDC, is crucial. They must provide specific, localized guidelines based on the status of the virus in each community. This information empowers individuals to make informed decisions about their safety.

It's important not to underestimate BA.2.86 potential impact. This variant, while a distant relative of Omicron, carries mutations that make it just as concerning in terms of its ability to infect individuals and potentially evade immunity. 

Global surveillance efforts are designed to identify and study variants that pose a risk to public health. If a variant is identified as potentially problematic, action should be taken promptly. This includes developing and producing updated vaccines if necessary. The mRNA vaccine technology allows for rapid adjustments to vaccines, ensuring that we can stay ahead of evolving variants.

Ambassador Deborah Birx, MD, discusses whether students should be required to wear masks to protect themselves and others and what the public should know about the newest COVID-19 variant, B.A.2.86.

Fall 2023: Mask Mandates for Students Amidst COVID-19 and Latest Variant Concerns

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been ongoing discussions and examinations of the messenger RNA (mRNA) technology. However, both the public and healthcare workers still have questions.

Katalin Karikó, PhD, and Drew Weissman, MD, PhD, invented the messenger mRNA technology at Penn Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the 1990s. 

There are several more mRNA vaccines in development, including HIV, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, Zika virus, cytomegalovirus, and cancer.

 severe allergies, such as dust mites or peanut allergies, heart attack and stroke, genetic diseases, and neurodevelopmental disorders. 

How does mRNA technology work? According to 

, “The messenger RNA (mRNA) takes the code to the ribosome where the protein is put together. That final protein is what then leaves the cell. In the case of an mRNA vaccine, the vaccine delivers the mRNA to the ribosome (not the nucleus, where DNA is housed), and a protein that looks just like the virus protein is created. When that protein leaves the cell, the immune system recognizes it as a viral protein and goes to work creating antibodies against it.”

Although mRNA technology has been studied since the early 1990s, some individuals still have concerns about its efficacy and safety. Speaking with 

, Ambassador Deborah Birx, MD, a Senior Fellow at the George W. Bush Institute in Dallas, Texas, addresses the question of the long-term safety of mRNA vaccine technology.

“Across the world, billions [of people] have been immunized, Birx said. “So we know about [mRNA’s] acute safety profile. We can definitively say that mRNA technology that is utilized to express this spike protein is very safe in the first 4 years. What people may have questions about is, do we know—definitively—that it's safe 2 decades from now, 3 decades from now? That database is smaller; it's really limited to people who may have gotten the Ebola vaccine. They're now probably a decade out.”

Birx continued, “I know the FDA is committed to making sure that they're studying the long-term consequences of this particular vaccine…. The questions are good. And what we can say, legitimately, as scientists that have developed vaccines, is we don't see anything concerning in the first 4 years of delivery. But again, that gets back to the point of being very clear as to who can benefit from a vaccine, particularly this vaccine. And I think we should recognize that people have definitive questions. That's why we [scientists and the CDC] should be putting out very clearly who should be immunized and the frequency to which those people should be immunized.”

Ambassador Deborah Birx, MD, answers the persistent question of whether mRNA technology is safe in the long term.  

Is mRNA Technology Safe? Deborah Birx, MD, Answers

 the latest COVID-19 vaccines by Moderna and Pfizer. However, many individuals are asking if they should get the booster and whether it is safe to do so. To address these concerns about the safety of mRNA technology in vaccines and any potential health issues, such as heart problems, associated with these vaccines, 

 reached out again to Ambassador Deborah Birx, MD, a Senior Fellow at George W. Bush Institute in Dallas, Texas.

Concerning safety, Birx said, “Vaccines should only be used for their intended use, and for their 

 use, and in this case, [the COVID-19 vaccine] was for protecting against severe disease….Once people started to get infected and reinfected despite being vaccinated, their interpretation then is this vaccine doesn't work…. But [the COVID-19 vaccine] was never designed, studied, tested, or released to protect against infection.” Birx acknowledged the existence of potential side effects with vaccines but emphasized their overall safety, particularly the mRNA) vaccines. She highlighted that the safety of mRNA vaccines is well-established yet noted that personal benefits from vaccination may vary from person to person, underlining the individual nature of its effectiveness.

To answer who be immunized, she said, “People who are at risk for severe disease and hospitalization and death.” However, each individual needs to consider the risks and benefits of getting any vaccine. “Going forward, we need to clearly communicate that the protection against infection is so short-lived with our current COVID-19 vaccines that it is an individual decision to understand whether they [are] susceptible…to severe disease, if sometimes even just weeks or a few months’ protection against infection [is] relevant in their lives. And is that a risk-benefit ratio that they're willing to take?”

Birx further elaborated on the topic of potential health issues, stating, “It's naive for us to say that vaccines have no side effects. We are still mapping side effects to this particular vaccine, and the mRNA vaccine is extraordinarily safe. But that doesn't answer the question, ‘Will I personally benefit?’” That, she said, is up to each individual.

“Once people started to get infected and reinfected despite being vaccinated, their interpretation then is this vaccine doesn't work…. But [the COVID-19 vaccine] was never designed, studied, tested, or released to protect against infection.” --Ambassador Deborah Birx, MD


Risks, Benefits of Receiving a COVID-19 Vaccine: Is it Worth it? 

What concerns do Americans have about hospitalization? A recent survey’s focus was to understand the perspectives, feelings, concerns, and level of knowledge of risks associated with hospitalization in the United States from both medical and nonmedical individuals.

Greg Bullington, CEO and cofounder, and Christine Chen, vice president of marketing, Magnolia Medical Technologies, Inc., discussed with 

“State of Hospitalized Patient Care in the U.S. 2023,” 

examines how much individuals understand and worry about these hospital risks, including antibiotic stewardship and hospital-acquired infections.

“We wanted to start broadly to understand just what the level of knowledge and understanding of various types of risks within the hospital environment look like, really, as a baseline, it's our intent to continue this research,” Bullington told 

. We think there are many important gaps in knowledge and education as it relates to risks associated with a host of factors…. We wanted to calibrate and understand the level of knowledge, concern, and fear amongst the general population and those [who] serve in medically related occupations, including physicians.”

Overall, the main concern of the survey’s participants is the financial implications of hospitalization. “We've all heard stories of how significant the burden can become for folks [who] end up with prolonged hospital stays. So, that was not necessarily a surprise. But as it related to the risk of hospital-acquired infections and antibiotic use, there [were] interesting data and [many] interesting responses. About 75% of the respondents, 3 out of 4, stated they were concerned and believed that health care providers must be more cautious when prescribing antibiotics. The concerns around antibiotic resistance release seem to be generally well understood. But not surprisingly, the bifurcation between the general population and then those employed and medically related occupations, there was a much higher acuity and understanding within the medical profession group than the general population.”

Chen said she was surprised by the number of individuals affected by sepsis. “Either they had been diagnosed with sepsis, or a family or loved one had been diagnosed and cared for sepsis. The other interesting finding from the survey was that individuals who had been directly impacted by sepsis were much more aware of consumer rights when it came to issues associated with antimicrobial resistance and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. And there needed to be more caution and focus on the unnecessary prescribing of antibiotics. The other piece that I thought was super interesting about this patient population was that not only were they more of an aware consumer, but they had the highest level of awareness [regarding] when it came to the impact of inaccurate results. So, these respondents are 45% more aware that inaccurate blood culture results can lead to the unnecessary administration of antibiotics compared to those individuals [who] had not had a diagnosis.”

For infection preventionists, the survey points to areas where they can assist with resisting the antibiotic prescription. “Infection preventionists (IP) play an important role in the institution in terms of the prioritization of various techniques and technologies that are evidence-based to minimize the risk of blood culture contamination, which can lead to the misdiagnosis of sepsis. So there is a vital role that the IP community plays within acute care hospitals to help reduce the incidences of false positive results, which significantly reduces the overuse of these powerful, potent antibiotics, which has the cascading effect and impact of helping stave off a lot of the continued pressure that we have from an antibiotic resistance standpoint.”

The financial cost of hospitalization is the most concerning risk for Americans, given the current state of the economy. A survey showed that 55% of respondents are either 'Very' or 'Extremely' fearful about this issue. Additionally, 75% of Americans believe health care providers should be more cautious when prescribing antibiotics. However, there is a significant knowledge gap regarding the risks associated with antimicrobial-resistant bacteria among previously and future hospitalized patients. Therefore, there is a need for more government leadership between health care providers and patients to address this issue.

Regarding infections caused by antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, 52% of respondents are 'Very concerned' or 'Extremely concerned' about the effects on their current or future health. They also agree that more education is needed for patients about this issue. Sepsis is the number one cause of death, readmissions, and costs for US hospitals and is the most feared infection. Nearly half of the survey respondents are either 'Extremely' or 'Very' fearful of sepsis. Additionally, approximately 1/3 of respondents either have had a loved one or have been personally diagnosed with sepsis, making them more knowledgeable about other health care-associated infections.

However, the survey also revealed that approximately 40% of respondents in non-medical related occupations are 'Barely' or 'Not at all' informed about the risk for hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). Nevertheless, 81% of all respondents agree that it is 'Very' or 'Extremely' important to be informed about HAI risk and infection control measures in the hospital if they were to be admitted as a patient.

Finally, 46% of respondents rated the government's performance as either 'Extremely poorly' or 'Poor' when it comes to protecting the health of Americans by addressing preventable medical errors and holding hospitals accountable for key quality measures.

 A recent survey aimed to understand Americans' concerns and knowledge about hospitalization. Infection Control Today speaks to 2 of the authors. 

What Are Patients’ Fears Around Hospitalization? A Survey Found Out 

 is a company that creates health and science products that resemble microbes, organs, vaccines, and more. Infection preventionists (IPs) use GIANTmicrobes for educational purposes or decorations around their offices. Each GIANTmicrobe is based on an actual microbe, organ, or other medical term. Some examples are anxiety, ADHD, sickle cell, macrophages, brains, COVID-19, and black plague.

®) spoke with Andrew Klein, MBA, BS, president of Giantmicrobes, about the fun and educational products, where they came from, and other services they provide.

’s audience] a brief history of Giantmicrobes? How and where did the company get started?

Excellent. I have quite a few here. We've been in business for almost 20 years, going back to around 2003 or 2004, when Giantmicrobes was started here in Connecticut by Drew Oliver, the company's founder. I now run the business. We're focused on health and biology, making learning science fun. We've over all these years; we've expanded quite a lot from the original products, which are common cold, white blood cell, and Shigella; those are some of the very early GIANTmicrobes, which started the concept [which] was to help children learn about hygiene, and the basic concepts of biology and the microscopic world of course, which is a big part of life sciences.

Now we have over 400 different products. Even beyond microbiology and infectious diseases, we've expanded into chronic disease and anatomy. We now have many products focused on the organs of the body, hormones, neurotransmitters, and mental health. We've gotten into a lot of different areas of life sciences.

: Do you know which GIANTmicrobe is the most popular?

 During the pandemic, certainly, our business shifted a little bit. Now we're back to more of our baseline, but over the last 3 years, our COVID-19—and we have a whole series of COVID-19-related products—those are still very popular and grew a lot during 2001, 2021, and 2022. Our [COVID-19] vaccine was our best seller in the last 18 months.

Now our regular common infectious diseases are still our top sellers [

], Salmonella, and MRSA; we have a whole series of STIs [sexually transmitted infections], which are very popular. These go back some years, [like] chlamydia. They all come with an educational card that gives an overview of the organism or the science behind the health topic. People appreciate that, and it's a good way for students or teachers to get a snapshot of the product.

: Typically, how do you decide which product to make next?

Organizations, schools, and patients are constantly requesting that we expand into a different [topic], come out with a new bacteria, a new virus and, and so we make a lot of the requests of our customers, or if there's a current event that [is] going on. We came out with monkeypox (mpox) last year. And right now, the new ones that we're launching this year include RSV [respiratory syncytial virus], which has been requested over the last several years. Last winter, [there] was a lot of attention on RSV, and we realized, “Hey, this is a good product!” We're launching that this summer.

Sickle cell anemia is another chronic disease that we [launched] this year. So that's one that came from [other organizations’ requests]. Several organizations have asked us to do sickle cell anemia to help create awareness for that topic. Some products like RSV are more basic education for parents to teach their children about a virus where sickle cell anemia is more of an overall public health product….

: Yes, this year, we did see an increase in RSV. And having a product such as GIANTmicrobes would be very useful for educating our staff and patients on the virus. And I remember earlier this year, GIANTmicrobes came out with a product for monkeypox [or mpox], and that was very useful for removing some of the fear and stigma surrounding the virus. Typically, when you're developing these products, do you work with any physicians or clinicians?

Depending upon the product, we do a lot of times. We will get a concept or design and try to figure out the correct rendering of an organism. Then, when it comes to the educational information we work with, graduate students who are educators, people who are in the field, and experts in the area help us write and edit the educational information.

Of course, our products are fun and more lighthearted in a way. So GIANTmicrobes have [big] eyes on them, and they have color, which, of course, is more taking a lot of artistic liberty on the actual bacteria. So that comes from [the idea] to make [the bacteria] more approachable and interesting. There's no reason that our Omicron is green. But what it's about [is] it's creating awareness for these topics and getting people talking about it.

Like you said with the RSV, another one we came out with a couple of years ago came from the STI [sexually transmitted infection] community. We've attended some trade shows and conferences about sexual diseases. People asked us for mycoplasma, which is, is one that many people have not heard of, and we here at Giantmicrobes, we're familiar with that. So we came out with that product a few years ago, based on the requests from public health officials who work in STIs.

: Do you have any recommendations on how infection preventionists or other clinicians could use this product for education?

That's a great question. We find people [who] are experts who are using our products. If there's an event or a conference, they might use it as a prop to get people's attention to say, “Hey, this is, in a very rough way, what salmonella is. It's a bacteria, and it has flagella.” But [the GIANTmicrobe] is something that can be used as a giveaway for people to hold in their hands, to make it more visual, and to make it something to touch and feel. And it helps to remember what that is when you touch and feel something. So it's our product is largely for young adults and teenagers, even more than children, even though you might say their toys, but we find our biggest audience is people who are in their 20s or people who are in the sciences; we use GIANTmicrobes for education or public awareness. And then there are parents who want to talk to their children about some of these topics, and some children like to collect them. That's fantastic for kids interested in science or anyone who might think they're cute and interesting. They'll give a child maybe an introduction to science to say, “Hey, science is fun.”

: And we have to know, what's your favorite GIANTmicrobe?

 I like our brain cell. And a few years ago, we launched our brain, which is pretty cool. It's important that people know more about their brains. Everyone could use a second brain. [laugh]

: Yes. I also know Giantmicrobes partners with different charitable organizations. What is that one organization that you partner with?

Yeah, one example is the Global Lyme Alliance, where we're here in Connecticut, and Lyme disease is a big issue. Ticks are all around the East Coast, but that's an area where when we sell it on our website, a portion of the sale is given to the organization. Also, some of the organizations we work with use giant microbes themselves. We might donate the product or do a special order for these organizations, and then they use it, [like] National Breast Cancer Foundation and several others.

ICT: Are there any more in the works you want to share with us?

We are coming out with some more immunology products where we have red blood cell, white blood cell, etc. We're coming out with Killer T cell; we're coming out with a macrophage. We get many requests in the world of blood science and immunology. There's thing we do with organization [like the one] we did for Carnegie Mellon. We can do special products for any organization or company if they want to take the GIANTmicrobes and brand it with your information; we're happy to do that for a few 100 pieces. We could put it we put on a sewn on tag, and then we could put on embroidery and different logos. That's a nice way for an organization to get its name out there. At conferences and trade shows, that's great for any organization to be able to spread the word about its mission. We'll also modify this [part of the GIANTmicrobe tag] to put any mission statement or [any other] information about a product or a service could be on those tags.

We're so happy to work with health care professionals to hear what people would like from Giantmicrobes. And when we're very flexible, we can help a company or organization or any topic that might arise in society. Like mental health, we've expanded based also on customer feedback. So now we have a series of products that represent topics in mental health [like] anxiety, depression, etc.

Is there anything else you'd like to add or share with us?

I want to thank you for the chance to talk about GIANTmicrobes. And if anyone has questions or would like to look at our products, you can visit giantmicrobes.com. And you can email us anytime for the custom work [it is] custom@giantmicrobes.com, or you can email me directly at aklein@giantmicrobes.com. And we'd be happy to provide any information or samples of our products if people are interested.

This interview has been edited for clarity.

Giantmicrobes is a company that creates fun health and science products that resemble microbes, organs, vaccines, and more and are used for teaching and enjoying. 


The Wonderful World of Giantmicrobes: A Talk With the President

Adverse Events toolkits by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General are designed to aid health care professionals and decision-makers in preventing harm to patients in hospitals, nursing homes, and other inpatient settings. Lee Adler, DO, infectious disease specialist, AdventHealth System; and Amy Ashcraft, MPA, a deputy regional inspector general with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) spoke with 

)about the Adverse Events Toolkits recently published by the OIG.

Ashcraft provides insight into the inspiration behind the creation of the toolkits. “As an oversight agency for the Department of Health and Human Services, we have responsibilities for both Medicare and Medicaid programs, and ensuring that patients are receiving safe care and effective care is a huge priority for the OIG. We're invested in this topic area; we've been doing work on patient safety for over 15 years and have produced almost 20 reports on the topic. And when we talk about adverse events, I want to clarify…that we are talking about all causes of harm, we don't focus on a specific list. And we include both preventable and nonpreventable events that may be important to some of your viewers.”

Ashcraft continued, “As we've been doing this work, we found that patient harm is commonplace in every inpatient setting. And the rates range from 13 to 46%, depending on the setting that you look at. I wanted to tell you about our most recent report, which we released in May 2022. It was the seventh medical record review looking at a national incidence rate of patient harm. And we found that about a quarter (1 in 4) of Medicare patients experience harm during hospital stays, and almost half of those were preventable.”

 viewers that infections “were the smallest category of types of events that we've looked at and comprise about 11% of the adverse events. The most common ones were respiratory infections, surgical site infections, and thrush. And in terms of why it's important, it's imperative that hospitals and other health care settings monitor their rates of adverse events and patient harm. And we released these toolkits because we wanted to share what we've learned conducting this work so that others can build upon it.”

The toolkits should not be considered perpetual. “It's important for those who read the document to understand that [the toolkits were created and written at a certain] point in time because evidence and practices change and what was not preventable,” Adler said. “In the past, for instance, central line infections [were considered nonpreventable but] are now considered preventable. Also, sepsis says another indication of where they were using lots of fluid years ago in as part of the best practices, and now we are very careful and how much fluid we give a patient not to overload them. If anybody's going to use this toolkit, they need to look at the latest guidance, whether it's the CDC guides, NHSN, or the Infectious Disease Society. And it's important that this is a document and appointed time that each time it's used [the information] needs to be updated.”

The toolkits were created with the help of many experts from many different fields of study to get the best practices. Ashcraft explains, “These [toolkits] represent numerous hours of research and case-specific conversations. It's a living document. And for each study, we would revisit the basic guidance document and add to it considering anything that has changed and the recommended practices over the intervening years or that are specific to a set setting that we're looking at. And get input from our panel of physicians; we had 6 high-level physicians with a range of specializations, including infectious disease, cardiology, surgery, neurology, and orthopedics. I could go on, but we tried to cover a wide range of specializations. And whenever we didn't have the specialization that we needed, Dr. Adler would go out and find someone that would help us to make sure we got the most accurate information for people working in that field. And then, in addition to that, as we were manually reviewing cases, we would come together weekly and talk about those cases.”

Ashcraft emphasized that these toolkits are only tools. “We're not anticipating that people are going to use this as a cookie-cutter approach. And that's why we made it what we termed a “pick-and-choose” resource. You can take the parts that are useful to your organization and apply them and modify them to what is most appropriate.”

(These quotes have been lightly edited for clarity. To hear the entire discussion, click the video above.)

As an oversight agency for the Department of Health and Human Services, the Office of Inspector General is responsible for ensuring the safety and effectiveness of Medicare and Medicaid programs, with a huge priority being patient care. These toolkits provide additional guidance on how to avoid patient injury. 


OIG's Adverse Events Toolkits: Preventing Patient Harm 

Alexander Sundermann, DrPH, CIC, FAPIC, an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh's Division of Infectious Diseases, Center for Genomic Epidemiology, is dedicated to advancing the field of outbreak detection and investigation in health care settings through his research and utilization of whole genome sequencing surveillance. He spoke with 

) on his recognized work presented at the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) 

, held in Orlando, Florida, June 26 to 28, 2023.

: Please let us know a little bit about what you're presenting at APIC this year.

Alexander Sundermann, DrPH, CIC, FAPIC, discusses his work focused on whole genome sequencing surveillance for outbreak detection and investigation in healthcare settings. 


Prevention

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