As hospitals search for new ways to reduce environmental bioburden, copper-embedded textiles are emerging as a promising tool. In this second installment of ICT's recent panel discussion, experts described how these soft, everyday fabrics can rapidly kill microbes, sustain their effectiveness between washes, and strengthen infection control bundles across care settings.
Missed opportunities, Graves warned, place patients at risk. Many surgical patients are immunocompromised, and a stethoscope may come near the incision. “Regardless of the scenario, [cleaning the stethoscope] each time is going to protect patients.”
Stethoscope hygiene, UV technology, and dwell time failures took center stage in this second installment of a panel of experts explored why routine disinfection still lags and what must change in clinical practice.
At IDWeek, Mohammad Enayet Hossain, PhD, from ICDDR,B, shared a breakthrough: a portable point-of-care test that works in half an hour and has strong accuracy against RT-PCR. A huge step forward for outbreak readiness.
In this provocative interview, Kevin Outterson, JD, LLM, explains why infection prevention benefits society but costs hospitals, urging fire department–style funding and PASTEUR incentives that reward diagnostics, stewardship, and antibiotic use.
Conversations about HIV and sexual health can still feel uncomfortable, but they don’t have to. In a candid interview, Hope & Help medical director Cariane Morales Matos, MD, explains why open, stigma-free discussions about HIV prevention and PrEP are essential for protecting teens, families, and communities.
In a postpandemic health system, infection preventionists are hired for certifications but kept for soft skills. In this second installment of ICT's roundtable, veteran IPs chart the shift from task-doer to systems leader, calling for smarter staffing, structured onboarding, and relationship-first programs to beat burnout and turnover.
When a nationwide blood-culture bottle shortage squeezed hospitals, a Stanford-led team turned to machine learning by building and openly sharing tools that predict which patients are most likely to have bacteremia and when a culture can be safely deferred. The simplest version works as a quick bedside score, no new software required.
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.
COVID-19 is back on the wastewater radar, but this fall’s bump does not look like a menacing new variant, says UMN infectious-diseases physician Matthew Pullen, MD. As CDC shifts to “shared decision-making” for vaccination—a move critics warn could slow access—his guidance stays simple: stay home when sick, and get the shot you can get now.
Hepatitis B still ruins lives—and newborns are most at risk. Infectious diseases specialist Matthew Pullen, MD, calls early vaccination “a no-brainer,” noting perinatal transmission can lead to liver failure and cancer. He also discusses insurance issues to get treatments covered.
Measles is resurging as misinformation erodes herd immunity. Matthew Pullen, MD, explains how “immunologic amnesia” and antivaccine myths endanger children—and what infection preventionists must know.
Staph, TB, and rising respiratory viruses are keeping ERs busy. Here’s what infection preventionists should watch for this season—and why vigilance matters.
Introducing the Infection Control Today®'s (ICT®'s) Editorial Advisory 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.
The Bug of the Month helps educate readers about existing and emerging pathogens that are clinically important in today's health care facilities.
The Bug of the Month helps educate readers about existing and emerging pathogens that are clinically important in today's health care facilities. Check out the author reading the article and identify which bug is speaking in this installment.
Infection prevention is too often the first program cut when budgets tighten, but experts warn that underfunding leaves hospitals vulnerable. Stronger policies, bigger rewards, and robust vaccination programs are critical to protecting patients and communities.
Infection prevention isn’t one-size-fits-all. Regional disparities, from rural staffing shortages to California’s strict regulations, demand tailored strategies, stronger collaborations, and targeted funding to protect patients everywhere.
Fewer than 14% of infection prevention departments receive staffing support from other hospital units, leaving infection preventionists stretched thin. Experts warn that this lack of collaboration undermines patient safety and strains already limited resources.
This installment of the interview with study authors, survey data reveal rising hours and responsibilities for infection preventionists, with staffing shortages fueling burnout risks and threatening the safety of both patients and health care workers.
As hospitals turn to UVC technology to combat health care-associated infections, a new FDA mandate is changing the game—requiring formal authorization for devices that claim to reduce microbial contamination. For infection preventionists and health care leaders, understanding this regulatory shift is now essential to protecting patients and ensuring compliance.
A group of experts highlight their infection control model, which highlights 5 key moments for disinfecting high-touch surfaces in patient care, aiming to reduce health care–associated infections and improve patient safety.
Are your UV-C disinfection systems FDA-compliant? Infection preventionists play a crucial role in ensuring devices meet regulatory standards. A simple conversation with your legal or compliance team today could prevent costly missteps tomorrow and help safeguard patient safety.
Infection prevention starts long before exposure; it begins with what we put into our bodies. This article series explores how key vitamins and nutrients like D, C, zinc, and more can strengthen immune defenses, reduce respiratory illness severity, and empower infection preventionists with evidence-based strategies to support overall health from the inside out.
Infection control nurse Eddie Jay LeCastillo, MSN, RN, CNL, CRRN, CIC, LTC-CIP, found his calling during the pandemic, transforming policy work into a mission to strengthen hospital safety through clarity, engagement, and preparedness.
Unauthorized UVC disinfection devices are quietly entering hospitals, bypassing FDA clearance and basic safety standards, putting patient safety and institutional compliance at serious risk.
The FDA’s new mandate requiring clearance for UVC disinfection devices is reshaping the infection prevention landscape, ensuring only proven, science-backed technologies are used to protect patients.
Sharps safety isn’t just an operating room issue—it’s a system-wide concern that demands stronger policies, consistent reporting, and cross-departmental collaboration to truly protect health care workers.
Sharps safety in health care isn’t just about knowing the rules—it’s about changing the culture. In a recent interview with Infection Control Today®, perioperative educator Amanda Heitman shares how fostering a supportive, informed environment can turn safety standards into daily practice.
Amanda Heitman, BSN, RN, CNOR, a perioperative nurse with over 20 years' experience and member of Infection Control Today® Editorial Advisory Board, has dedicated her career to patient safety and surgical excellence. Learn more about her path to where she is now.
