{"title":"Mitigating COVID-19 transmission in long-term care: A facility’s experience with dry hydrogen peroxide","authors":"Mary Cole RN, MS, CNRN, CCRN, SCRN, CIC","doi":"10.1016/j.ajic.2025.01.022","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ajic.2025.01.022","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A staff-initiated outbreak of COVID-19 among residents in a long-term care facility was notable for differences in attack rates between units and the association with dry hydrogen peroxide (DHP) deployment for continuous microbial reduction. DHP had previously been shown to significantly reduce environmental bioburden in the facility, but the association with infection had not been monitored. This outbreak highlights the potential for DHP to reduce infection transmission without requiring additional staff intervention.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7621,"journal":{"name":"American journal of infection control","volume":"53 5","pages":"Pages 659-661"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143363472","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Victoria Davis MPH, CIC, LSSGB, Christopher A. Czaja MD, DrPH, Pamela Fricke BSPH, RMA, Shea C. McGrath MPH, Janell Nichols CMA, CFER, CSPDT, Lauren Biehle PharmD, BCPS, BCIDP
{"title":"Incorporation of antibiotic stewardship into proactive infection prevention and control assessments in the outpatient hemodialysis setting: A brief report","authors":"Victoria Davis MPH, CIC, LSSGB, Christopher A. Czaja MD, DrPH, Pamela Fricke BSPH, RMA, Shea C. McGrath MPH, Janell Nichols CMA, CFER, CSPDT, Lauren Biehle PharmD, BCPS, BCIDP","doi":"10.1016/j.ajic.2025.01.023","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ajic.2025.01.023","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We developed a tool to evaluate antibiotic stewardship in outpatient hemodialysis infection prevention and control assessments, based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Core Elements of Outpatient antibiotic stewardship. Of facilities assessed (n<!--> <!-->=<!--> <!-->12), the average score was 79% (range 44%-100%) for implementation of the Core Elements. Tracking and reporting had the highest engagement (94.1%) and education had the lowest (58.3%). By leveraging hemodialysis-specific tools, infection preventionists can assess antibiotic use and provide actionable feedback.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7621,"journal":{"name":"American journal of infection control","volume":"53 6","pages":"Pages 723-725"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143363470","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Infection prevention knowledge related to central line infections and ventilator-associated pneumonias: A survey of Finnish intensive care units","authors":"Kirsi Terho RN, ICN, MNSc , Eliisa Löyttyniemi MSc , Esa Rintala MD , Sanna Salanterä PhD, RN","doi":"10.1016/j.ajic.2025.01.021","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ajic.2025.01.021","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Health care-associated infections pose a significant risk for the patients in intensive care due to the use of medical instrumentation required for care.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We conducted a cross-sectional, nationwide survey on awareness of recommended infection prevention practices involving central venous catheters and invasive ventilators in intensive care units.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 810 (50% of those surveyed) nurses and physicians participated in the survey. We found that 8% of the respondents had good knowledge of infection prevention in central venous care, while 24% had good knowledge of ventilator-associated pneumonia prevention practices.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><div>The overall level of knowledge measured with this nationwide survey was suboptimal. The level varied between units, and depending on individual questions for particular professions. The displayed knowledge may have partially been based on tradition rather than on up-to-date evidence-based guidelines.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Educational training in evidence-based infection prevention is needed for practical implementation to be improved.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7621,"journal":{"name":"American journal of infection control","volume":"53 6","pages":"Pages 690-695"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143254458","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Weihua Yang PhD , Warren Myers PhD , Mike Bergman , Edward Fisher , Kenneth J. Ryan PhD , Brooke Vollmer , Lee Portnoff , Ziqing Zhuang PhD
{"title":"Total outward leakage of face-worn products used by the general public for source control","authors":"Weihua Yang PhD , Warren Myers PhD , Mike Bergman , Edward Fisher , Kenneth J. Ryan PhD , Brooke Vollmer , Lee Portnoff , Ziqing Zhuang PhD","doi":"10.1016/j.ajic.2024.09.020","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ajic.2024.09.020","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>During Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the general public used any face-worn products they could get to overcome the shortage of N95 respirators and surgical masks. These products, often not meeting any standards, raised concerns about their effectiveness in reducing the spread of respiratory viruses.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This study quantified total outward leakage (TOL) of units from 9 face-worn product categories used by members of the general public. A benchtop system was devised to test 2 units from each category on 2 different-sized headforms with silicone elastomer skin. Each unit was donned 5 times per headform.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Both face-worn product category and headform size significantly affected TOL (<span><math><mi>P</mi></math></span> value < .05). The TOL of tested face-worn products varied from 10% to 58% depending on both model and headform size. Face-worn products donned on the medium headform had a higher mean TOL compared to those donned on the larger headform.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Overall, single-layer cloth masks are the least effective measure for source control due to their highest TOL among the tested face-worn products. Three-layer disposable face masks may be a favorable option for source control among the public. A standard should be developed for face-worn product design and manufacturing to accommodate different facial sizes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7621,"journal":{"name":"American journal of infection control","volume":"53 2","pages":"Pages 239-244"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142339278","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Infection control nursing competency model for nurses in intensive care units: A Delphi study","authors":"Eun Jo Kim MSN , JaHyun Kang PhD, MPH","doi":"10.1016/j.ajic.2024.09.022","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ajic.2024.09.022","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses require advanced expertise and skills in critical care and need infection control nursing competency (ICNC). Given the lack of research on it, this study aimed to develop a model of ICU nurses’ ICNC.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A Delphi panel consisting of experts in intensive care nursing and infection control was organized to provide discerning and professional perspective on ICNC. Approved by the Institutional Review Board, a 3-round Delphi survey was conducted via email from July to December 2023. The content validity ratio and the coefficient of variation were calculated for panel responses.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Among 17, 15 nurses (88.2%) participated and completed the surveys. About 80% were female, and the panel had an average working experience of 14.2<!--> <!-->years specifically in the ICUs or infection control departments at hospitals. After the initial round, a preliminary model was developed, consisting of 10 main components and 59 subelements. After eliminating 5 elements with content validity ratio values below 0.49 in the second survey, the final model, consisting of 10 main components and 54 subelements, was confirmed in the third survey.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>ICU nurses’ ICNC can be understood based on this study’s results, and further research can be designed to improve this competency.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7621,"journal":{"name":"American journal of infection control","volume":"53 2","pages":"Pages 203-209"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142379922","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rebecca Choudhury MD , Jordan Ehni CIC, MPH , Waleed Javaid MD, FACP, FIDSA, FSHEA , Mateen Jangda BS , Itay Rabinovitz MD , Nikita Ekhelikar MD , Bernard C. Camins MD, MSc
{"title":"The epidemiology of midline-associated bloodstream infections in an urban health care system","authors":"Rebecca Choudhury MD , Jordan Ehni CIC, MPH , Waleed Javaid MD, FACP, FIDSA, FSHEA , Mateen Jangda BS , Itay Rabinovitz MD , Nikita Ekhelikar MD , Bernard C. Camins MD, MSc","doi":"10.1016/j.ajic.2024.10.037","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ajic.2024.10.037","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study sought to determine the incidence and characteristics of midline-associated bloodstream infections (MABSI) at an urban health system during the COVID-19 pandemic. A MABSI rate similar to the central line-associated bloodstream infection rate was found. A large number of MABSI were caused by <em>Staphylococcus</em> spp and <em>Enterococcus</em> spp, as has previously been reported for central line-associated bloodstream infection. Patients with MABSI had high in-hospital mortality rates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7621,"journal":{"name":"American journal of infection control","volume":"53 2","pages":"Pages 274-276"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142611773","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Some comments on the efficiency and simulation of Thailand's Chiang Mai University model for COVID-19 mass vaccination hub","authors":"Salvatore Chirumbolo PhD , Umberto Tirelli MD","doi":"10.1016/j.ajic.2024.10.028","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ajic.2024.10.028","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":7621,"journal":{"name":"American journal of infection control","volume":"53 2","pages":"Pages 279-280"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142998640","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Information for Readers","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/S0196-6553(24)00913-1","DOIUrl":"10.1016/S0196-6553(24)00913-1","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":7621,"journal":{"name":"American journal of infection control","volume":"53 2","pages":"Page A8"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143128446","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on reusable device precleaning training for front-line staff","authors":"Josephine Fox MPH, BSN, RN, CIC, FAPIC , Lydia Grimes-Jenkins MSN, BA, RN, CIC, FAPIC , Heather Gasama MPH , Ashley Lloyd BSN, RN, CIC , Helen Wood MA, BSN, RN, CIC, FAPIC , Satish Munigala MBBS, PhD , David K. Warren MD, MPH","doi":"10.1016/j.ajic.2024.10.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ajic.2024.10.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>High-level disinfection and sterilization are complex processes, requiring initial and ongoing training of frontline staff.<span><span><sup>1</sup></span></span> A key component of appropriate disinfection and sterilization is point-of-use precleaning performed by front-line staff. Our facility implemented an annual hospital-wide education and competency program for staff that perform precleaning of reusable medical devices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7621,"journal":{"name":"American journal of infection control","volume":"53 2","pages":"Pages 269-271"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142455935","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kathy Dempsey MNSc, CICP-E , Susan Jain MIPH, PhD, CICP-E , Patricia Bradd PhD , Kate Clezy MBBS, FRACP , David Greenfield PhD
{"title":"Infection Prevention and Control Response and Escalation Framework: Evaluation and application beyond a pandemic","authors":"Kathy Dempsey MNSc, CICP-E , Susan Jain MIPH, PhD, CICP-E , Patricia Bradd PhD , Kate Clezy MBBS, FRACP , David Greenfield PhD","doi":"10.1016/j.ajic.2024.10.036","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ajic.2024.10.036","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in constant changes to Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) recommendations, impacting clinician capacity to stay up to date. The COVID-19 IPAC Response and Escalation Framework (IPAC Framework), rarely reported or evaluated was developed to provide scalable IPAC guidance during the pandemic to health care in New South Wales (NSW), Australia.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Using a thematic analysis approach, a qualitative study using an online, cross-sectional survey comprising 27 questions was sent to 248 key stakeholders. Participants were health workers with broad clinical and system representation with responsibilities for risk assessment, communicating, implementing, or monitoring the IPAC Framework.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The IPAC Framework provided a useful IPAC tool for the management of COVID-19 as perceived by 93% of respondents. The overwhelming majority (91%) reported the Framework provided enough information on IPAC strategies needed for COVID-19 that were aligned with transmission risk. Resources supporting the IPAC Framework were reported by most respondents (84%) as being widely accepted as the authoritative guidance.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>An IPAC Framework is perceived as invaluable by clinicians and administrators to manage IPAC requirements in health care during a pandemic. The IPAC Framework can be applied more generally to support ongoing IPAC requirements.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7621,"journal":{"name":"American journal of infection control","volume":"53 2","pages":"Pages 188-195"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142611679","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}