Look across the infection prevention and control landscape today, and a single, urgent theme comes into focus: outbreak response. Whether the pathogen is a microscopic parasite spreading through 17 states, a bacterium lurking inside a reusable endoscope, a hemorrhagic fever virus infecting the very health care workers fighting it, or a contaminant hiding in a consumer shampoo bottle, the story is the same. Detection, containment, and communication are being tested simultaneously, and infection prevention and control (IPC) professionals are at the center of every one of these events.
“Infection Prevention experts hold the line against the spread of pathogens and infectious disease outbreaks,” Jenny Hayes, MSN, RN, CIC, CAIP, CASSPT, director of infection prevention for Jefferson Health—New Jersey in Stratford. told Infection Control Today® (ICT®).
Isis Lamphier, MPH, MHA, CIC, AL-CIP, is the director of infection prevention for HCA Florida Brandon Hospital in Tampa. agrees, “Infection prevention isn’t a background discipline anymore, it is front page news. Infection prevention professionals are working diligently throughout the world in many different sectors in order to prevent or slow the spread of these infectious diseases. Our immunocompromised populations and individuals with comorbidities are the most susceptible. We are working diligently and strategically to protect the public from diseases such as Ebola and Cyclosporiasis.”
Cyclospora: A Parasite Hiding in Plain Sight
The CDC has issued an alert for health care workers following a 2026 cyclosporiasis outbreak that has now reached more than 1000 confirmed cases across 17 states, primarily in Michigan. Cyclospora cayetanensis is a waterborne parasite spread through contaminated food or water, and it is easy to miss. Symptoms, including watery diarrhea, fatigue, nausea, and cramping, mimic those of many other gastrointestinal illnesses, and standard ova and parasite testing does not always detect it unless specifically requested.¹
For IPC professionals, this outbreak is a reminder that foodborne and waterborne pathogens do not stay in the community. Immunocompromised patients, older adults, and anyone who consumed contaminated produce before or during a hospitalization may present with active infection. Awareness, appropriate diagnostic ordering, and prompt reporting to public health authorities are essential.
How IPC Is a Powerful Defense Against Pathogens
Written by Shazia Irum, MSc, MBA, RN, CIC, CPHQ, FAPIC, a CBIC Ambassador, for the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Outbreaks may emerge from different pathogens, transmission routes, or health care settings. Still, they consistently reveal the same truth: the greatest determinant of patient safety is the strength of Infection Prevention and Control. Effective IPC is not defined by how we respond after an outbreak begins, but by how well we prepare before it occurs.
Early surveillance, rapid risk assessment, timely implementation of evidence-based precautions, safe reprocessing of medical devices, environmental safety, and continuous education of health care workers form the pillars of resilient health care systems.
Every outbreak, whether foodborne, waterborne, device-associated, environmental, or highly infectious, serves as a reminder that prevention is a shared responsibility requiring multidisciplinary collaboration, transparent communication, and unwavering leadership.
As health care continues to face emerging pathogens and evolving risks, IPC professionals remain at the forefront of protecting patients, safeguarding health care workers, and preserving public trust. Investing in strong infection prevention programs is not simply a regulatory expectation; it is a strategic commitment to health care quality, patient safety, and organizational resilience.
In the face of ever-changing infectious threats, preparedness, vigilance, and a proactive culture of prevention will always be our most powerful and sustainable defense.
Duodenoscopes and VRE: A Persistent Device Safety Problem
A newly filed lawsuit alleges that a contaminated Olympus duodenoscope transmitted a vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) infection to a patient during an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), resulting in the patient's death.² The case renews a long-standing concern in the IPC community: Reusable, complex medical devices with elevator mechanisms and narrow lumens remain extraordinarily difficult to reprocess.
Despite FDA guidance, device redesigns, and enhanced reprocessing protocols issued in the years following high-profile carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) outbreaks linked to duodenoscopes, the risk remains. Biofilm formation, incomplete drying, and gaps in manufacturer instructions for use continue to contribute to transmission events. This case underscores why IPC teams must remain actively engaged in device reprocessing oversight, not as a one-time review but as an ongoing program component that includes audits, competency validation, and open communication with sterile processing departments.
Ebola in DRC and Uganda: The Health Care Worker Toll
The Bundibugyo strain Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda has now infected over 100 health care workers (HCWs). This number highlights significant issues with the availability of personal protective equipment, training, and surveillance, as well as the fragility of health systems operating under crisis conditions.
While the risk to US health care facilities remains low, domestic IPC professionals should remain vigilant. The lessons are universal: When personal protective equipment (PPE) protocols are unclear, when staff are fatigued, when triage happens before transmission-based precautions are in place, health care workers become patients
"Keeping our frontline heroes safe involves not just sending PPE supplies but ensuring they receive robust training on how to don and doff correctly,” Brenna Doran, PhD, MA, ACC, CIC, AL-CIP, consultant/coach for Innovative Partners Institute, LLC (IP-i), said. She has written several articles on the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola for ICT.
The Bundibugyo outbreak is also a reminder that the US Ebola response network, which was built after the 2014 crisis, requires sustained investment to remain functional. Preparedness cannot be funded reactively.
"Every outbreak, regardless of the organism, ultimately tests the same thing: the strength of our infection prevention systems,” said Shahbaz Salehi, MD, MPH, MSHIA, director of infection prevention and control and employee health for Foothill Regional Medical Center, in Tustin, California, and ICT’s 2024 Educator of the Year. “Pathogens may differ, but preparedness, surveillance, communication, and rapid response remain the cornerstones of protecting the patients, health care workers, and the community.”
Legionnaires' Disease and the Environment as a Source
New York City health officials are investigating a Legionnaires' disease cluster after confirming 23 cases in the Carnegie Hill and Yorkville neighborhoods of Manhattan as of July 6, with no deaths reported.4 Officials believe a contaminated cooling tower is the likely source and are testing all cooling towers in the area while assuring residents that tap water and building plumbing systems remain safe.
Legionnaires' disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by inhaling water droplets containing Legionella bacteria, which commonly grow in warm water systems. Residents, workers, or recent visitors to the affected neighborhoods who develop flu-like symptoms are urged to seek medical care promptly.
Water management plans are required under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Conditions of Participation, yet adherence and the rigor of ongoing monitoring vary widely. Immunocompromised patients are at the highest risk for severe disease, and health care-associated infection (HAI) Legionella cases, while less common, do occur.
“Every outbreak is a reminder that protecting public health is a shared responsibility. Through awareness, prevention, and timely action, we can reduce the spread of infections and safeguard our communities,” said Vangie Dennis, MSN, RN, CNOR, CMLSO, FAORN, FAAN, MSN, RN, CNOR, CMLSO, FAORN, FAAN, CEO of and perioperative consultant for Perioperative Consultants, LLC, in Anderson, South Carolina.
Pluralibacter gergoviae: Contamination Beyond the Clinic
Kao USA has voluntarily recalled select bottles of Oribe Serene Scalp Densifying Shampoo after testing detected contamination with Pluralibacter gergoviae. This bacterium can pose a serious risk to immunocompromised individuals. The recall affects specific 8.5- and 33.8-ounce bottles manufactured in February 2026 and distributed across the US and Canada. Consumers are advised to stop using the affected products and contact Kao for replacement information. The company is continuing its investigation into the source of the contamination while reviewing manufacturing practices to help prevent similar incidents.5
As consumer product recalls increasingly involve bacterial contamination, IPC professionals may find themselves fielding questions from patients or colleagues about exposure risk. Staying informed about product recalls is becoming part of the expanded IPC role.
The Common Thread
These 5 stories share a single throughline: The pathogen does not matter as much as the system's ability to detect it, respond to it, and protect the people in its path. Cyclosporiasis demands clinical awareness. VRE via a duodenoscope demands vigilance regarding device safety. Ebola demands HCW protection infrastructure. Legionnaires' demands environmental management. Consumer product contamination demands expanded situational awareness.
“As I see these outbreaks unfold, I’m reminded that no community is immune to infectious diseases. Staying informed, practicing prevention, and looking out for one another are our strongest defenses.” Dennis said. “Outbreaks don’t just test our health care systems; they test our commitment to protecting one another. Prevention begins with each of us.”
As Fibi Attia, MD, MPH, CIC, infection control coordinator for Penn State Health, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania, said, “Infection preventionists are not specialists in one organism or one setting. They are the profession best positioned to see across all of these simultaneously — and right now, that view has never been more demanding.”
References
1. Cyclosporiasis outbreak investigation, 2026. CDC Health Alert Network. July 2026. Accessed July 8, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html
2. Whitacre Martonicz T. Can reusable duodenoscopes still transmit infections? New Olympus lawsuit alleges fatal VRE case. Infection Control Today. July 7, 2026. Accessed July 8, 2026. https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/can-reusable-duodenoscopes-still-transmit-infections-new-olympus-lawsuit-alleges-fatal-vre-case
3. Doran, B. When caregivers become patients: frontline vulnerability in the Bundibugyo outbreak response. Infection Control Today. July 6, 2026. Accessed July 8, 2026. https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/when-caregivers-become-patients-frontline-vulnerability-bundibugyo-outbreak-response
4. Kekatos, M. Nearly 2 dozen sickened in Legionnaires' disease cluster in New York City. ABC News. July 7, 2026. Accessed July 8, 2026. https ://abcnews.com/US/2-dozen-sickened-legionnaires-disease-cluster-new-york/story?id=134519647
5. Bartiromo, M. Shampoo recalled nationwide after bacterial contamination detected. ABC 27 WHTM News. July 6, 2026. Accessed July 8, 2026. https://abcnews.com/US/2-dozen-sickened-legionnaires-disease-cluster-new-york/story?id=134519647
