Image of microbes with word bubbles around it. Word bubbles include: food supply, communities, across the world, water and soil, and healthcare facilties.

Health Equity and Antimicrobial Resistance Resources from CDC

CDC provided a toolkit of resources that incorporate health equity science into antibiotic stewardship program research.

Ways to Share this Resource 

Perfect for sharing during U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week (November 18-24).
Resources for different audiences to help you match the right materials for patients, residents, family, administrators, prescribers, and healthcare workers.

Target Audience: Foundational to Intermediate IPC education levels

Guidance & Regulation Updates

VIPTA members track guidance and regulation resources to share source documents that guide infection prevention and control practices for public health staff and clinical and non-clinical healthcare personnel.

The date of the regulation or guidance update is included in each post. Please check linked content to be sure it is the most up to date and recommended practice.

Health Update: Prevention Strategies for Mpox, including Vaccinating People at Risk via Sexual Exposure, for U.S. Travelers Visiting Countries with Clade I Mpox Outbreaks (9/23/2024)

CDC

Department of Health

Outbreak Investigation

Surveillance

Provides recommendations for travelers who are going to a country with ongoing human-to-human clade I mpox virus transmission. Provides clinicians and public health practitioners with recommendations to implement during travel health visits to mitigate the risk to travelers visiting countries with ongoing human-to-human clade I mpox virus transmission.

Core Elements of Hospital Diagnostic Excellence Programs (9/11/2024)

CDC

Acute Care Hospital

Antimicrobial & Diagnostic Stewardship

Describes the key framework and actions that can be implemented to improve diagnoses for hospitalized patients. The guidance includes diagnostic stewardship considerations for urine culture and C. difficile tests which align with infection prevention recommendations.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services National Healthcare Safety Network’s (NHSN) Antibiotic Use and Resistance (AUR) Reporting Modules

CMS

Acute Care Hospital

Regulatory Compliance

Surveillance

Eligible acute care and critical access hospitals have two module options for reporting AUR data to the NHSN AUR Module to meet the CMS requirements for calendar year 2024. Find more information about these modules in the NHSN Newsletter and AUR Reporting FAQs on the NHSN website.

Use of COVID-19 Vaccines in the United States (9/6/2024)

CDC

Any Practice Setting

Vaccination

Recommendations for the use of 2024–2025 Novavax COVID-19 vaccine in people ages 12 years and older Updated guidance in the Interchangeability of COVID-19 vaccines section and in Appendix B on completion of an initial vaccination series if vaccine doses from different manufacturers are administered in certain circumstance.

Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) August Public Meeting Recap (9/3/2024)

CDC

Any Practice Setting

Transmission-Based Precautions

During the August 2024 meeting, the committee provided brief updates from three of HICPAC’s workgroups: Isolation Precautions, Dental Unit Waterlines, and Infection Control in Healthcare Personnel. A recap of the meeting and what was specifically covered can be reviewed on the CDC’s Blog.

Image of educational posters and learning areas.

Virginia Long-Term Care Infrastructure Pilot Project (VLIPP)

Carilion Clinic’s Virginia Long-Term Care Infrastructure Pilot Project (VLIPP) is a grant-funded program focused on improving infection prevention and control practices within local long-term care (LTC) facilities. The team has been working on various projects since the program’s launch, collaborating with LTC facilities across the Southwest Region. A keystone of the project is staff education on setting-specific infection prevention and control practices. The team provides education in fun and engaging ways including escape rooms and simulated training that incorporates real-life scenarios. The program also hosts a quarterly “Staying in the Know” webinar series aimed at providing updates and guidance on current infection prevention and control issues. Visit Carilion Clinic Infection Prevention and Control for additional information about Carilion Clinic VLIPP.

In addition to education, training, and onsite technical support, a peer-to-peer network has been launched for LTC facility infection preventionists (IPs). The network’s goal is to create a safe space for LTC IPs to connect, share resources and perspectives, and support one another. The network provides an avenue for IPs to talk about IP challenges in the facility, problem solve, and promote mentorship relationships between the IPs. The inspiration for the network arose from feedback received from facility IPs. Interest in knowing how other IPs practice in the LTC setting and navigate their roles and responsibilities was identified as a recurring theme.

The successful launch of the peer-to-peer network demonstrates the devotion of the LTC IPs to the work they do. The Carilion Clinic VLIPP team is excited to see a positive response to the network. LTC IPs in Virginia are welcome to join the network. For additional information about joining, reach out to either of the Carilion Clinic VLIPP infection preventionists listed below.

Steve Carter – stcarter@carilionclinic.org

Matthew Skinner – mrskinner@carilionclinic.org