Infection Prevention

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Infection Prevention Infection Prevention is everyone’s responsibility. Protecting patients, staff, and communities through evidence-based practice.

This page was created to increase the awareness of both the public and private sectors on infection prevention.

Infection prevention rounds need to look at both the environment and how care is delivered. The article highlights hand ...
10/04/2026

Infection prevention rounds need to look at both the environment and how care is delivered. The article highlights hand hygiene, central line care, equipment disinfection, isolation practices, and proper waste disposal as areas that deserve regular attention.

Environmental services staff are valuable partners because they often notice safety problems during their daily work. Listening to their concerns, observing staff practices, and providing guidance on the spot can help teams address risks sooner. Using infection trends and unit-specific findings to guide rounds keeps the focus on patient and staff safety, with every department sharing responsibility.

What might infection prevention rounds miss when visible conditions dominate the conversation? Tommy Davis, PhD, CMIP, a member of ICT's executive advisory board, makes the case for structured observations of clinical workflows, shared accountability, and greater attention to environmental services....

Pennsylvania’s measles outbreak has reached 903 cases, with 176 hospitalizations and four deaths reported by the state. ...
10/04/2026

Pennsylvania’s measles outbreak has reached 903 cases, with 176 hospitalizations and four deaths reported by the state. Children account for 31% of cases, and fewer than 1% of those infected were fully vaccinated.

The CDC now lists two measles-related deaths nationwide for 2026, but the article says it is unclear which deaths are included. The difference between state and federal reporting remains unresolved.

Pennsylvania officials say 4 people have died from measles in that state.

A new study shows how easily Candida auris can spread during routine patient care.Researchers observed 1,083 interaction...
09/12/2026

A new study shows how easily Candida auris can spread during routine patient care.

Researchers observed 1,083 interactions involving 109 patients who were colonized with C. auris. The fungus was found on healthcare workers’ gloves or gowns after 29% of those interactions. The risk was higher when workers touched the patient directly and when the patient was colonized at multiple body sites.

These findings are an important reminder that gloves and gowns can become contaminated even during everyday care. Careful removal of PPE, immediate hand hygiene, proper environmental cleaning, staff education, and early screening of high-risk patients remain essential to prevent transmission.

C. auris is difficult to eliminate from healthcare environments and can cause serious infections, especially in medically vulnerable patients.

Transfer from colonized patients to the personal protective equipment was found in nearly a third of interactions.

Strong infection prevention in assisted living depends on more than having written policies. Clear and timely communicat...
09/12/2026

Strong infection prevention in assisted living depends on more than having written policies. Clear and timely communication with local public health officials is essential, especially when unusual symptoms, clusters of illness, or possible outbreaks are identified.

Building that relationship before an emergency occurs can make a real difference. Assisted living communities should know whom to contact, what information must be reported, and when to ask for guidance. Regular staff education, accurate documentation, early reporting, and open communication allow facilities and public health departments to respond more quickly and protect residents, staff, and visitors.

In infection prevention, communication is not just an administrative responsibility—it is an important part of resident safety.

Many of the local health agencies that assisted living communities need to work with don’t have a good understanding of how the setting differs from other residential settings long-term care settings. It’s a point that became especially evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, but even today, opera...

I’m pleased to share “Safe Hands, Healthy Lives,” a song I wrote to promote hand hygiene, infection prevention, patient ...
08/14/2026

I’m pleased to share “Safe Hands, Healthy Lives,” a song I wrote to promote hand hygiene, infection prevention, patient safety, and teamwork in healthcare.

As an Infection Preventionist, I wanted to find a creative way to reinforce an important message: preventing infections takes awareness, consistency, and teamwork from everyone.

🎵 “Safe Hands, Healthy Lives” by LingVille is now available on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Music. The song is distributed through DistroKid.

I hope the song can help make infection prevention messaging more engaging, memorable, and positive for healthcare teams.

🏥 Hospitals and healthcare organizations interested in licensing or using the song may contact me directly.

Please feel free to listen and share. 🎶

Safe Hands. Healthy Lives. Safer Healthcare.



YouTube:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lh8cqzJHgjHjKtIQn4xAQ5GZ7zaEMskco&si=crslL80U2u9kIoFX

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/track/7njfhHP9en14jELYYV0XcE?si=YoYsl8wkSqC-3pAc25F1HA&utm_source=copy-link

Apple Music:
https://music.apple.com/us/album/safe-hands-healthy-lives/6801654267?i=6801654268

LingVille · Safe Hands, Healthy Lives · Song · 2026

COVID-19 is once again showing a summer increase in parts of the country, a reminder that the virus has not disappeared....
08/14/2026

COVID-19 is once again showing a summer increase in parts of the country, a reminder that the virus has not disappeared.

Current data show rising COVID activity, including increases in wastewater levels, positive tests and some hospitalizations. Health officials are also discussing vaccine timing as we approach the release of the updated 2026–2027 COVID-19 vaccines, which are expected to target the XFG variant. (San Francisco Chronicle)

For those who have not received the 2025–2026 COVID vaccine, vaccination may still provide protection against severe illness. The CDC particularly emphasizes vaccination for adults 65 and older and people at increased risk for severe COVID-19. (CDC)

As always, prevention still matters—stay home when sick, practice good hand hygiene, improve ventilation when possible, and consider masking in crowded indoor settings or when caring for people at higher risk.

COVID may no longer dominate our daily lives, but staying informed and taking appropriate precautions can still help protect our patients, families and communities.

Just like all previous summers since the pandemic began, COVID-19 cases are ticking up again, even while other health threats make more headlines.

A large clinical trial from England found that portable HEPA air filters, despite improving air quality, did not reduce ...
08/01/2026

A large clinical trial from England found that portable HEPA air filters, despite improving air quality, did not reduce respiratory infections, hospitalizations, antibiotic use, or staff sick days in older adults living in care homes.

These findings don’t mean air filtration has no value. Rather, they remind us that no single intervention can replace a comprehensive infection prevention program.

Vaccination, hand hygiene, environmental cleaning, respiratory etiquette, early identification of ill residents, and appropriate isolation precautions remain the foundation of preventing infectious disease transmission in long-term care settings.

As infection preventionists, it’s important to evaluate new technologies using high-quality evidence. Investing in interventions with proven effectiveness helps ensure the best outcomes for both residents and staff.

Portable air filters made no difference to rates of respiratory and other infections in older people's long-term care facilities, a University of Bristol–led trial published in JAMA Internal Medicine has found. The study's authors advise long-term care facilities to continue with standard infectio...

Preparedness is the best defense against high-consequence infectious diseases.A recent WHO feature highlights how hospit...
08/01/2026

Preparedness is the best defense against high-consequence infectious diseases.

A recent WHO feature highlights how hospitals in the Czech Republic and Germany successfully managed patients with suspected and confirmed Ebola through years of planning, regular drills, and strong infection prevention and control (IPC) practices.

Their experience reinforces several important lessons:
• Early identification, isolation, and timely communication are critical.
• Continuous staff training is essential—preparedness isn’t a one-time exercise.
• Personal protective equipment is only effective when healthcare workers are well trained in its proper use.
• A coordinated response involving clinicians, infection preventionists, laboratory personnel, emergency responders, and public health agencies helps protect both patients and healthcare workers.

The risk of Ebola to the general public in Europe remains very low, but these cases remind us that hospitals must always be ready to respond to emerging infectious diseases. Investing in preparedness before an emergency occurs is what makes a safe and effective response possible.

The recent outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda is caused by the Bundibugyo species of the Ebola virus. It is highly transmissible and primarily spread through direct contact with the body fluids of infected individuals. Therapeutic treatments in the form of monoclonal antibod...

An interesting perspective suggests that our current approach may be too reactive. Instead of waiting for cases to occur...
08/01/2026

An interesting perspective suggests that our current approach may be too reactive. Instead of waiting for cases to occur and investigating individual buildings, greater emphasis should be placed on preventing contamination at its source.

Water disruptions, aging infrastructure, pipe repairs, severe weather, and changes in water treatment can disturb biofilms and allow Legionella bacteria to spread through water systems. Better communication between water utilities, healthcare facilities, and public health agencies could help organizations prepare before people become ill.

The article also highlights the importance of looking beyond outbreak-related cases. Most Legionnaires’ disease cases occur sporadically, and studying these cases may reveal important patterns that could strengthen prevention efforts.

For healthcare professionals, maintaining a high level of suspicion is essential, especially following major water disruptions. Early recognition and prompt treatment can significantly improve patient outcomes.

Preventing Legionnaires’ disease isn’t just about responding to outbreaks—it’s about building stronger water management practices, improving surveillance, and working together to reduce risk before illness occurs.

Hung Cheung, MD, of the Alliance to Prevent Legionnaires' Disease, says preventing illness requires upstream water management, stronger surveillance, and earlier public health intervention.

More testing is not always better care. Unnecessary medical tests can lead to false positives, additional procedures, in...
07/12/2026

More testing is not always better care. Unnecessary medical tests can lead to false positives, additional procedures, increased costs, and unnecessary anxiety for patients. Diagnostic stewardship is about choosing the right test for the right patient at the right time. In infection prevention, this is especially important because unnecessary testing can also lead to inappropriate antibiotic use and make antimicrobial resistance even more challenging.

“The medical industry has spent enormous effort making more advanced tests but expended little effort learning how to use tests correctly,” writes Daniel Morgan.

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