American Journal of Infection Control

Appropriate hand hygiene (HH), including the use of alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water, has shown to be effective in reducing both hospital acquired infections and the spread of antibiotic-resistant germs. Thus, it plays a critical role in

Infection prevention employs an algorithm that includes 3 negative sputum Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB) stains and 2 negative nucleic acid amplification (NAA) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests along with review of clinical findings and risk factors for

Respiratory viral infections are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the pediatric population. Pre-pandemic, respiratory viruses such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza followed a predictable seasonality with peak

Hospital-onset Clostridioides difficile infection (HO-CDI) is a life-threatening disease that can prolong and complicate a patient's hospitalization. To reduce HO-CDIs and ensure positive health outcomes with reduced cost, utilization of a multi

In March 2022, the first patient with Candida auris (C. auris) infection was identified as having had a recent admission at a large tertiary care hospital. The patient had a lengthy hospitalization that included care on multiple units and had

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) created a set of Infection Control Assessment and Response (ICAR) tools in 2016, however, the tools are not comprehensive nor regularly updated. The Indiana Department of Health’s (IDOH) Infection

In Japan, the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination began in April 2021 for local residents. Many patients who wish to be vaccinated have voiced concerns about side effects. Our cardiovascular hospital with fewer than 100 beds has

Since July 2022, there have been 21 Mpox cases identified in our 928-bed hospital. Most cases have primarily been presented in the emergency room and discharged with the exception of two patients. These cases required special considerations during

In December of 2020, our infection prevention (IP) department noted an increase in Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates over baseline in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Our hospital sees a steady influx of parents

Infection prevention (IP) programs' increasing demands and evolving scope in the setting of healthcare staffing shortages and a changing environment require an innovative approach to program structure. Historically, the IP program at our academic