Prevention

IPC personnel, please familiarize yourselves with the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which spreads Zika, dengue, and chikungunya viruses and affects nearly all continents.

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 Rebecca Leach, MPH, BSN, RN, CIC.

The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) Chapters are a wealth of education, camaraderie, and networking. Read more about them.

Sterilizing modern surgical instruments is challenging due to their complexity, increased size, and varied materials. Low-temperature methods are crucial, but overloading and rapid turnarounds heighten sterilization failure risks.

Facilitating communication between nursing and environmental services (EVS) staff is essential to overcome staffing challenges and align expectations, ensuring a shared goal of patient safety.

Infection Control Today gathers gift ideas that infection control personnel can use to enhance their lives. This issue is for the autumn 2024 season

A new survey finds that 61% of infectious disease professionals identify mosquito-borne viruses, like dengue and Zika, as the greatest threat posed by climate change, demanding global action.

Watch ICT's discussion with Matthew Pullen, MD, at the various fungal infections, including Candidasis, aspergillosis, and many others. He also talks about his recent trip to the MSGERC Conference.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a highly virulent pathogen, poses significant risks to immunocompromised patients, presenting challenges in treatment due to its antibiotic resistance and environmental persistence.

A recent study explores individual, organizational, and environmental factors influencing home care providers' adherence to facial protective equipment (FPE) to improve future pandemic preparedness.

Alesia McKeown, PhD, discusses the pivotal role of cutting-edge diagnostic technologies in enhancing infection prevention, especially in high-risk health care environments, during an interview with Infection Control Today.

On Get Ready for Flu Day, Dr. Aparna Ahuja discusses the importance of accurate respiratory illness testing, the risks of self-diagnosis, and the role of infection prevention personnel in public health education.

Hospital-associated infections affect over 1 million US patients annually. Proper medical equipment cleaning and sterilization significantly reduce infection risks, improving patient outcomes and safety.

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 Shannon Simmons, DHSc, MPH, CIC.

Sean Brown’s 2024 Disease Prevention Summit presentation emphasized leveraging technology, prioritizing high-risk patients, and environmental surveillance to enhance infection prevention and control strategies.

In 2023, the CDC released Sepsis Core Elements to improve sepsis recognition, management, and patient recovery. A recent survey shows increases in U.S. hospitals with sepsis committees, dedicated program time, and Antibiotic Stewardship Program involvement.

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.

A presentation at the Disease Prevention and Control Summit in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, spoke about the rising threat of Candida auris.

Learn about the new Recertification option for the a-IPC certification, and the APIC's Emerging Infectious Diseases Task Force, and the Mpox Playbook.

This week's Pathogen Pulse highlights: Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEEV), Boar's Head products recall due to listeria contamination, and mpox cases on the rise in Africa.

Read today's updates on COVID-19 and Mpox vaccines and a study released today on doubling syphilis detection in the emergency department.

As influenza and COVID-19 circulate in long-term care facilities, prompt testing, isolation precautions, and antiviral treatments are crucial for preventing outbreaks and protecting vulnerable residents.

Infection control policies significantly impact laboratory billing, from coding and documentation to reimbursement rates. Labs must adapt to remain compliant, streamline billing, and ensure accurate compensation.

Take 5 minutes to catch up on Infection Control Today’s highlights for the week ending September 6, 2024.

This new column, Clean Hospital with Alexandra Peters, PhD, explores advancements in health care environmental hygiene, highlighting its growing recognition as a key component of infection prevention and honoring pioneers like Professor Stephanie Dancer.

Chronos, a chemical-free UV-C disinfection device for ultrasound probes, received FDA clearance. It offers health care professionals a fast, automated solution to reduce cross-contamination and improve infection prevention.

A Memorial Healthcare study shows updated C difficile testing guidelines led to a 20% reduction in inappropriate tests, improving diagnostic accuracy and preventing unnecessary treatments.

Discover Tamara Behm's journey in seeking an IP leadership role, her passion for patient safety, and advice for job-seeking professionals in infection prevention, in this discussion with ICT’s IPLifeline.

Surgical instrument errors, often linked to visualization failures during sterile processing, pose significant risks to patient safety and OR efficiency. Advanced technologies, including AI, are essential for reducing these errors and improving overall outcomes in sterile processing departments.

The FDA's 21 CFR Part 820 and ISO 13485 are crucial in regulating medical device quality systems. Harmonizing these standards by 2026 will streamline compliance, improve patient access to devices, and align US regulations with global practices.