Transplant Safety: Recognizing Donor-Derived Infections and the Need for Astute Clinicians
This week in the CDC Expert Commentary series on Medscape, (log in required) Dr. Susan Hocevar describes the first recognized cluster of transplant-transmitted microsporidiosis linked to a common organ donor. An estimated 1 percent of organs transplanted in the U.S. each year are suspected to harbor a disease either infection or cancer. Examples of transmitted pathogens or diseases include an array of parasites, fungi, bacteria, and viruses. The CDC depends on astute clinicians to alert public health authorities of unusual infections, including microsporidiosis. The full description of this cluster of infections was published online in the March issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Source: CDC
Beyond the Surface: Rethinking Environmental Hygiene Validation at Exchange25
June 30th 2025Environmental hygiene is about more than just shiny surfaces. At Exchange25, infection prevention experts urged the field to look deeper, rethink blame, and validate cleaning efforts across the entire care environment, not just EVS tasks.
A Controversial Reboot: New Vaccine Panel Faces Scrutiny, Support, and Sharp Divides
June 26th 2025As the newly appointed Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met for the first time under sweeping changes by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the national spotlight turned to the panel’s legitimacy, vaccine guidance, and whether science or ideology would steer public health policy in a polarized era.
Getting Down and Dirty With PPE: Presentations at HSPA by Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski
June 26th 2025In the heart of the hospital, decontamination technicians tackle one of health care’s dirtiest—and most vital—jobs. At HSPA 2025, 6 packed workshops led by experts Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski spotlighted the crucial, often-overlooked art of PPE removal. The message was clear: proper doffing saves lives, starting with your own.
