The latest ESPAUR report (2024–2025) paints a sobering picture of AMR in England. While prescribing practices have improved in some areas, the resistant infections are increasing, and new threats like Candidozyma auris are emerging.
Continue readingHCAI
C. auris is now the preeminent cause of HCAI outbreaks in Saudi Arabia
I was browsing pubmed this morning for updates related to C. auris from outside the UK, and came across this fascinating report from Saudi Arabia. Based on national notifications to the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health, C. auris was the preeminent cause of HCAI outbreaks during 2023!
Continue readingAddressing health inequalities using IPC
Guest blogger Kerry Holden (bio below) has written this blog in preparation for next Wednesday’s Journal Club (register here) writes…
Health inequalities are sadly deeply embedded in society and unfortunately growing, leading to unequal access to services and poor care experiences. These disparities contribute to earlier deaths, reduced healthy life expectancy, intergenerational trauma, and substantial economic costs. However, many of these health inequalities are preventable.
Continue readingFarewell 2024 – ESPAUR helps us to set priorities for 2025
As we bid farewell to 2024, a time for reflection, objective setting, and the odd new years resolution to break early in 2025. The latest ESPAUR report was published a few months ago, and helps us to set some priorities for 2025 and beyond. As ever, there’s a mixture of good news and bad news in the report, but mostly I’m grateful that we have sufficient data and co-ordination to give us this level of detail about the current and emerging threats related to HCAI and AMR in the UK.
Continue readingWant to reduce HCAI? Then employ a few more staff in your infection prevention department!
A useful US study has explored the ratio between infection prevention staffing levels, facility size, and HCAI-related outcomes. The reassuring news is that there was some correlation between IPC staffing levels in HCAI-related outcomes, suggesting that we are doing something right as a profession!
Continue readingLifting the lid on toilets and healthcare-associated infections
Guest blogger, Dr Phil Norville (bio below) writes…
Wastewater systems (sinks, showers and more recently toilets) are attracting attention as their role in healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) continues to gathers evidence. In this blog we take a closer look at toilets and their potential role in transmission, as well highlighting some of the current challenges facing healthcare organisations around wastewater management.
Continue readingThe country lottery: where you live influences infection outcomes
I have posted before about the “postcode lottery” and it’s influence on rates of MRSA, affecting deprived postcodes (or zipcodes!) more than others. But this issue is wider than regional influence. On an international scale, your changes of a bad outcome from infectious disease varies, sometimes wildly, by where you happen to be in the world. A new article in CID on clinical outcomes from carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infections bears this out.
Continue readingThe “top 10” scientific articles influencing our IPC practice over the past year
I had the pleasure of doing a talk at Infection Prevention 2023 in Liverpool today, running down the top 10 scientific articles influencing our IPC practice over the past year. You can download my slides here.
I had some trouble selecting just 10 papers from the past year, and felt a strong sense of my own bias and limitations when going through the selection process. I have my own research and clinical interests, I don’t read anywhere near as many papers as I’d like, and 10 papers really isn’t that many! Also, I tried to countdown the papers from 10 to 1 with some kind of hierarchy. After a couple of false starts here (including the most read, most controversial, best designed), I settled on the most influential in terms of challenging our thinking or modifying our practice.
So, here goes…
Continue readingWater-free critical care demands our attention
This post follows hot on the heels of several other posts highlighting the potential benefits of water free care. A new retrospective cohort study in German ICUs has concluded that patients cared for in ICU single rooms or bays without sinks have fewer HCAI. Another nail in the coffin for sinks!
Continue readingAre we talking the same language? The importance of choosing our words carefully when communicating HCAI and AMR
I was really pleased to have the opportunity to speak at IPS this year on how important it is to choose our words carefully and talk the same language to connect with our audience when communicating HCAI and AMR. My main reflection from preparing the talk is that people listen to you when the message is clear and personal, and they lose interest if the message is complicated or not relevant to them. Simple and small changes to the language that we use in the message that we deliver can make a big impact on the way that people respond. You can view my slides here.
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Reflections on Infection Prevention and Control 