Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology

🆕 New in ICHE: Mycobacterium fortuitum outbreak linked to two outpatient surgery centers.

▶️ 17 cases across 2 facilities
▶️ Most common procedure: knee replacement
▶️ Concerning gaps: delayed reporting, lack of certified personnel in IP and reprocessing

#IDSky

📄: doi.org/10.1017/ice....

🆕 New in ICHE: Factors associated w/ HCP glove & gown contamination of MRSA

Contamination:
Gloves or gown: 713/3,832 (18.6%) of the time
Gloves: 15.4%
Gowns: 8.3%

Touching:
Patient: 622/2,901 (21.4%)
Environment: 91/931 (9.8%)

#IDSky

📄: doi.org/10.1017/ice....

🆕 New in ICHE: Can beard covers improve speech intelligibility while maintaining respirator fit?

An under-mask elastic band beard cover with N95/P2 respirators found no meaningful impact on speech or hearing offering potential for inclusive PPE strategies

#IDsky

📄: doi.org/10.1017/ice....

🆕 New in ICHE:

A blood culture algorithm safely reduced unnecessary cultures in SOT recipients - 25% were inappropriate, none missed true infections.

Findings support expanding diagnostic stewardship

#IDSky

📄: doi.org/10.1017/ice....

🆕 New in ICHE: An EHR-based intervention reduced unnecessary testing & treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria in older adults

This approach shows promise in minimizing overtreatment and supporting antimicrobial stewardship

#IDSky

📄: doi.org/10.1017/ice....

Essential reading for anyone working to make stewardship efforts stick and know when to stop what's no longer working

🆕 New from Branch-Elliman et al: 2-part series in ICHE on de-/implementation science to IP&C and ASP

📄 Part I: Life cycle of interventions on adoption to de-implementation
📄 Part II: A practical roadmap w/ real-world examples

#IDSky

Part I: doi.org/10.1017/ice....
Part II: doi.org/10.1017/ice....

Our new paper in @ichejournal.bsky.social: a cluster of healthcare-associated Burkholderia sola infections via WGS

➡️ B sola is a newly described BCC species
➡️ We detected 2 infxs via donor derived lung Tx + forward transmission

#IDSky
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

🆕 New in ICHE: How did the COVID-19 pandemic impact HAIs and AMR in Canadian hospitals?

📈 This interrupted time series study (2018–2022) found significant increase in HAIs and AMR organisms following the onset of the pandemic

#IDSky

📄: doi.org/10.1017/ice....

🆕 New in ICHE: Can far-UVC handheld devices improve disinfection of high-touch surfaces?

Filtered 222 nm handheld UV device ⬇️ surface bacteria by up to 83% and genomic analysis identified MDROs persisting in the environment, underscoring both promise & limits

#IDSky
📃: doi.org/10.1017/ice....

🆕 New in ICHE: Can mobile health tools engage patients in infection prevention?

This study piloted an mHealth app in clinical settings to support hand hygiene, device care, and other practices with insights on feasibility, workflow, & barriers to adoption

#IDSky

📄: doi.org/10.1017/ice....

🆕 New in ICHE: Can Enhanced Barrier Precautions reduce S. aureus and CRO transmission in nursing home ventilator units?

A pre-post study of over 12,000 residents shows promise but persistent colonization and transmission remain challenges

#IDSky

📄: doi.org/10.1017/ice....

🆕 New in ICHE: A mixed-methods study explores bias and discrimination experienced by antimicrobial stewards

Findings highlight structural inequities and the need for improved support, recognition, and inclusion in stewardship roles.

#IDsky

📄: doi.org/10.1017/ice....

🆕 New in ICHE: Case report of the 15th U.S. case of vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA), identified in Michigan in 2021.

Includes epidemiologic investigation and genomic analysis plus implications for IPC and antimicrobial stewardship.

#IDSky

📄: doi.org/10.1017/ice....

TLDR; We propose an optimized ASE 2.0 definition:
- allow POA infection diagnosis codes to anchor infection
- include pts discharged alive on QAD 3
- include hypotension w/out pressors (>/= 2 readings in 6h)
- include NIV or HFNC (>/= 2 days)
- minor changes in Plt, Cr, and Tbili thresholds

🆕 New in ICHE: How should the CDC’s Adult Sepsis Event (ASE) definition evolve?

This study modeled potential modifications and found tradeoffs between incidence, mortality, and clinical validity offering insight into how changes could shape surveillance

#IDSky

📄: doi.org/10.1017/ice....

🆕 New in ICHE: Should hospital-onset bacteremia & fungemia (HOB) be a pay-for-performance measure?

This pro/con debate explores whether HOB is preventable enough (and measurable enough) to drive accountability without unintended consequences

#IDSky

📄: doi.org/10.1017/ice....

New Podcast Episode!

@davidcalfeemd.bsky.social talks to Drs. Kaur, Uslan, & Yang on the clinical utility, benefits, and pitfalls of Plasma Cell-Free DNA and Metagenomic Sequencing! #IDSky

🟪: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
🟧: soundcloud.com/user-6607204...
🟩: open.spotify.com/episode/7sV3...

🆕 New in ICHE: How does the new NHSN test method definition affect C. difficile reporting?

Authors found that the 2024 update—focusing on a facility’s testing strategy (NAAT + toxin EIA)—improved model performance and reduced overestimation of hospital-onset CDI

#IDSky

📄: doi.org/10.1017/ice....

🆕 New in ICHE: How much does HCW masking reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission?

Modeling study found that even moderate masking adherence by healthcare workers significantly reduces nosocomial COVID-19 especially at high community prevalence

#IDSky

📄 doi.org/10.1017/ice....

🆕 New in ICHE: How do masking and visitation policies affect pediatric HA-RVI?

Children’s Hospital Colorado found that universal masking + 2-visitor limits ⏬ healthcare-associated respiratory viral infections - more than seasonal sibling restrictions alone

#IDSky

📄 doi.org/10.1017/ice....

🆕 New in ICHE:

Authors provide a pilot study tested a VR training module for cleaning & low-level disinfection

After user-driven revisions, the experience improved highlighting the promise and pitfalls) of immersive IPC training

#IDSky

📄 doi.org/10.1017/ice....

Now more than ever, we need to train the next generation of IP physicians!

Check out the new SHEA IP curriculum for ID fellow training in infection prevention!

Great way to start or strengthen IP fellow training at your ID program

@ichejournal.bsky.social

www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

Thanks to ICHE for highlighting our work demonstrating the utility of WGS surveillance in uncovering hospital-based transmission of VRE!

🆕 New in ICHE: WGS surveillance of VRE uncovered undetected hospital outbreaks—spotlighting the PACU as a key transmission locus

📍 Without genomic surveillance, these clusters would’ve been missed

#IDSky

📄 doi.org/10.1017/ice....

🎙️ New ICHE Podcast Episode!

Drs. Herwaldt & Seidelman discuss latest research & real-world challenges in preventing SSIs—plus actionable tips for improving surgical safety

#IDSky

🟪: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
🟧: soundcloud.com/user-6607204...
🟩: open.spotify.com/episode/3fU7...

🆕 New in ICHE:

Which swab works better for detecting microbes in healthcare settings?

This study compared sponge-sticks vs flocked swabs for environmental MDRO detection

▶️ Sponge-sticks outperformed for culture
▶️ Flocked swabs better for metagenomic DNA recovery

#IDSKy

📄 doi.org/10.1017/ice....

🆕 New in ICHE:

Most healthcare personnel support a risk-tailored approach to MRSA contact precautions.

This discrete choice experiment found strong support—especially among physicians and APPs—for using gloves and gowns based on setting, role, and activity.

#IDSky

📄 doi.org/10.1017/ice....

New from @trtalbot.bsky.social, others:

⚠️Authors show RSV is an under-recognized healthcare-associated infection.

▶️Improved surveillance strategies to detect healthcare-associated respiratory viral infections are needed.

#IDSky

📄: doi.org/10.1017/ice....

NEW in ICHE:

▶️ Critically ill opioid use disorder (OUD) patients face high MDRO infection rates (22.5%), with MRSA most common

▶️ Key risk factors include housing insecurity, lack of OUD meds, HCV status, and recent IV antibiotic use.

#IDSky

📄: doi.org/10.1017/ice....