Infection Prevention

03/16/2026

Surgical irrigation is an intraoperative technique used to rinse the surgical wound before closure to remove debris, tissue fragments, and microorganisms that may increase infection risk. This process helps reduce microbial contamination and supports the prevention of surgical site infections (SSIs), one of the most common healthcare-associated complications after surgery. 

Common irrigation solutions include normal saline, antiseptic agents (such as povidone-iodine), and occasionally antibiotic solutions. Studies suggest that antiseptic or antibiotic irrigation may reduce SSI rates compared with saline alone or no irrigation, although the overall evidence remains mixed and further research is needed to determine the most effective approach. 

Despite widespread use—by the majority of surgeons—guidelines from organizations such as the CDC and WHO note that the benefits and risks of antimicrobial irrigation are still being evaluated, and practices vary depending on the surgical procedure and clinical context. 

Key takeaway: Surgical irrigation remains a widely used strategy to help reduce microbial burden in the surgical field and potentially lower the risk of surgical site infections, but optimal solutions and protocols continue to be studied.

Infection preventionists are often asked to advise on surgical irrigation practices as they relate to the reduction of SSI, yet practice varies across organizations and clinical settings. The APIC Center for Research, Practice, and Innovation (CRPI) has released a new evidence-based resource, An Ove...

03/15/2026

🧠 AI-Powered Tool Could Help Detect Hospital Infections Faster

Researchers at the University of Toronto have developed a new diagnostic system that combines CRISPR technology and artificial intelligence to quickly detect infections that cause hospital outbreaks, including the drug-resistant fungus Candida auris. 

The platform, called digital SHERLOCK (dSHERLOCK), can identify pathogens and their drug-resistance genes in less than 20 minutes, compared with several days using traditional laboratory testing. 

🔬 Why this matters:
Rapid detection could help hospitals respond faster to outbreaks, guide targeted treatment, and reduce the spread of healthcare-associated infections.

During her postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard’s Wyss Institute, Professor Nicole Weckman (ISTEP, ChemE) developed a new technique to rapidly detect antimicrobial resistant genes in a pathogenic fungus

03/15/2026

🏥 Study Questions Use of Hospital-Onset Bacteremia as a Quality Metric in Burn Patients

A recent study suggests that hospital-onset bacteremia (HOB) may not be a reliable quality metric for burn centers. Researchers found that bloodstream infections in burn patients are often linked to injury severity, repeated surgical procedures, and prolonged use of central lines, rather than poor quality of care. 

Burn patients have a higher risk of bloodstream infections because their skin barrier is damaged and they frequently require intensive treatments and surgeries. As a result, infection rates may reflect patient condition and treatment complexity, not necessarily preventable failures in care. 

🔬 Why this matters:
• Infection metrics should consider patient risk factors and clinical complexity.
• Burn centers may require adjusted or specialized quality measures.
• Better metrics could improve fairness in value-based healthcare evaluation.

Hospital-onset bacteremia is common in burn patients—and often tied to burn severity and surgical wound care, not lapses in quality. New data suggest that HOB may be a poor standalone quality metric for burn centers, raising questions about the fairness of benchmarking in value-based care.

03/15/2026

🏥 Healthcare-Associated Infections Can Delay Safe Discharge

A retrospective audit at a tertiary medical center examined patients who were medically optimized for discharge but remained hospitalized. Researchers found that healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) were an important concern in this group.

Older patients were more likely to develop HCAIs, and these infections were associated with delayed discharge and worse clinical outcomes.

🔬 Why this matters:
• Healthcare-associated infections can occur even in patients ready for discharge.
• Preventing HCAIs can help reduce prolonged hospital stays.
• Strong infection prevention practices are essential for patient safety and efficient patient flow.

Background This audit aimed to identify patients who developed a healthcare-associated infection (HCAI) after being deemed medically optimised for discharge and to then recognise the common patterns of HCAIs alongside the reasons for delays in discharges. Methodology This audit used a retrospective....

03/15/2026

🧊 Ancient Bacteria with Modern Antibiotic Resistance

Scientists discovered a bacterial strain trapped in cave ice for about 5,000 years that shows resistance to multiple antibiotics. The bacterium, Psychrobacter, was found in the Scărișoara Ice Cave in Romania and carries many genes linked to antimicrobial resistance.

🔬 Why this matters:
The discovery shows that antibiotic resistance existed in nature long before modern antibiotics, highlighting that the environment can act as a reservoir for resistance genes.

Researchers have sequenced an ice cave bacterial strain, contributing to our understanding of antimicrobial resistance.

03/15/2026

🦠 New Research on Antibiotic Resistance

A new study shows that antibiotic resistance in bacteria is not fixed—it can change depending on the environment where the bacteria live. Factors such as pH (acidity) and temperature may influence how strongly resistance genes work.

Researchers found that the same bacteria can appear resistant in standard laboratory tests but may become more or less susceptible to antibiotics under different conditions similar to those inside the human body or in other hosts.

For example, certain resistance genes were stronger in acidic environments but weaker in alkaline conditions, and temperature differences (such as those between humans and birds) also affected resistance levels.

🔬 Why this matters:
• It helps explain how antimicrobial resistance develops and spreads.
• It may improve how we interpret laboratory antibiotic testing.
• It could lead to new strategies to help antibiotics work better in some infections.

Understanding when and where resistance genes function best may help scientists and clinicians develop better ways to manage antibiotic-resistant infections in humans, animals, and the environment.

Antibiotic susceptibility in resistant bacteria is not static. New research shows that bacteria harbouring resistance genes may respond differently to antibiotics if they are tested under conditions other than those used in standard laboratory assays. This may affect how well an antibiotic treatment...

03/13/2026

Shared equipment rarely looks like a problem. Until a surveyor starts asking questions. Who cleaned it last? Which disinfectant was used? When did it move between rooms? Most organizations believe the risk is low. Because policies exist. Training was completed. Logs appear acceptable. But surveyors....

03/10/2026

Measles is one of the most contagious infectious diseases, and cases remain a concern in the U.S. and globally. In 2025, more than 2,200 confirmed cases were reported in the U.S., with 11% resulting in hospitalizations and three deaths being reported. APIC recently urged strong, coordinated national...

03/08/2026

A study found that using a combination of two antibiotics can significantly reduce deaths in patients with high-risk Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections (bacteremia). Researchers discovered that while dual therapy improves survival in high-risk patients, it offers no clear benefit for low-risk cases, highlighting the importance of personalized, risk-based antibiotic treatment strategies.

A study led by researchers from the Infectious Diseases Service of the Bellvitge University Hospital (HUB), the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) and the University of Barcelona (UB) shows for the first time that a combination of antibiotics can significantly improve the prognosis of...

03/08/2026

Drinking water systems in haematology units can be an overlooked infection risk for immunocompromised patients, highlighting the need for strong water safety programs, routine monitoring, and infection-prevention measures to prevent exposure to opportunistic pathogens.

I've put together this blog in preparation for today's [Insight Webinar with Dr Jessica Martin](4915de2e-6f1a-4e51-8e9a-cebf469fabd3@880e1cf6-0e66-4ce3-9534-eadf2d5ded15)," rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/4915de2e-6f1a-4e51-8e9a-cebf469fabd3@880e1cf6-0e66-4ce3-9534-eadf2d5ded15), all about water hygiene! Water systems are a recognised source of healthcare associated...

03/08/2026

Environmental Salmonella strains from the Americas were found to be less resistant to antibiotics than related strains circulating in Europe and Asia. The study highlights how global food systems and environmental spread can influence antimicrobial resistance, reinforcing the importance of surveillance and responsible antibiotic use.

A study by the Institut Pasteur has highlighted the genetic diversity of Salmonella enterica serovar Panama, a bacterial pathogen responsible for frequent foodborne infections in the French West Indies and French Guiana, and revealed the worrying evolution of a bacterium that was previously suscepti...

03/08/2026

Patient Stories Matter in C. difficile Prevention

Real patient experiences highlight the serious impact of unnecessary antibiotic use. These stories strengthen antimicrobial stewardship and remind healthcare providers to prescribe antibiotics responsibly to help prevent Clostridioides difficile infection.

The power of patient stories: stewardship and C. difficile prevention - Volume 6 Issue 1