ICTalk: Infection Control Today Podcast

Welcome Back to The Clean Bite ! In May 2026, I had the honor of presenting an infection control class for just shy of 900 participants at the California Dental Association’s Art & Science Annual Meeting in Anaheim. I’m not going to lie, my biggest class ever. And the good news? I didn’t fall off the stage or throw up. So as far as this writer is concerned… huge success 😊 If you’ve ever had t...

A rare hantavirus outbreak linked to an expedition cruise ship near South America has drawn international attention and renewed concerns about emerging infectious diseases. While experts emphasize that the risk of a widespread outbreak remains extremely low, the appearance of Andes virus-associated hantavirus pulmonary syndrome on a cruise ship has raised questions about global preparedness, trave...

At the SoCal Sterile Processing Association (SPA) Chapter meeting on March 21, 2026, in Newport Beach, California, one message came through clearly: Leadership in sterile processing does not begin with a title. It begins with a voice. In this special edition of Contagious Conversations , hosts Jill Holdsworth, MS, CIC, FAPIC, NREMT, CRCST, CHL, AL-CIP; and Brenna Doran, PhD, MA, ACC, CIC, AL-CIP,...

Surgical smoke has been part of operating room culture for decades, generated routinely by lasers, electrosurgical devices, and ultrasonic tools. Yet despite its constant presence, it remains one of the least understood and least consistently addressed risks in perioperative care. In a recent interview with Infection Control Today® ( ICT ®), Vangie Dennis, MSN, RN, CNOR, CMLSO, FAORN, FAAN, a form...

Every time you sit in a dental chair, you witness a carefully choreographed performance. The dentist guides the instrument. The hygienist checks your bite. Behind the scenes stands the dental assistant, orchestrating the invisible work that keeps you safe. "Dental assistants do more than just assist the doctor," says Sherrie Busby, EDDA, CDSO, CDIPC, dental assistant speaker and trainer, with 42 y...

Contagious Conversations is a new video series by Infection Control Today ® ( ICT ®) created to make space for the conversations infection preventionists (IPs) often avoid, not because they are unimportant, but because they are personal, complicated, and sometimes uncomfortable.  In the premiere episode, the hosts, Isis Lamphier, MPH, MHA, CIC, AL-CIP; Heather Stoltzfus, MPH, RN, CIC; Brenna Doran...

Sterile processing is often discussed only when something goes wrong. A tray defect. A missing instrument. A delayed case. But in this wide-ranging conversation with Infection Control Today®(ICT®) , Arlene Bush, CRCST, CER, CIS, CHL, SME, DSMD, CRMST, the current president of Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA) , makes a different case for 2026. If the field wants retention, resilienc...

Few issues embody the intersection of prevention, compassion, and communication more than HIV and PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis)—subjects that remain clouded by stigma, even decades after the epidemic’s darkest days. I recently spoke with Cariane Morales Matos, MD, medical director at Hope & Help of Central Florida, about how health care providers, parents, and infection preventionists can ap...

When most people think of infection prevention, they picture data dashboards, surveillance reports, and regulatory checklists. But ask any experienced infection preventionist (IP) what really determines success, and you’ll hear something different—it is the people skills. During a recent Infection Control Today® roundtable, veteran infection prevention professionals representing diverse roles and...

Bug of the Month helps educate readers about existing and emerging pathogens of clinical importance in health care facilities today. Each column explores the Bug of the Month 's etiology, the infections it can cause, the modes of transmission, and ways to fight its spread. The pathogen profiles will span bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic species. We encourage you to use Bug of the Month as a...

In the second part of our conversation with Danielle Rankin, PhD, MPH, CIC, epidemiologist with the CDC, she expanded on the infection prevention strategies and surveillance needs surrounding the rise of New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (NDM-CRE). She is the lead author of a recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine . Rankin emphasized that early...

Amid the bustle of IDWeek in Atlanta, Georgia, held from October 19 to 22, 2025, former CDC director Tom Frieden, MD, MPH, now president and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives, laid out a crisp playbook for infectious-disease professionals: a 3-step formula he says can prevent outbreaks, reverse drug resistance, and save “millions of lives.” In a conversation with Infection Control Today , before the co...

Join the Movement: Clean Hospitals Day is October 20, 2025 On October 20, hospitals around the world will pause to spotlight a truth we all know but rarely celebrate out loud: Environmental hygiene saves lives. Clean Hospitals Day 2025 is your chance to rally teams, thank the environmental services (EVS) professionals who keep care spaces safe, and set new habits that last long after the balloons...

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) carrying New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM) are on the rise across the US, posing a growing challenge for hospitals, infection preventionists, and public health officials. In a recent interview, Danielle Rankin, PhD, MPH, CIC, an epidemiologist with the CDC, discussed her recently published study, which underscored the scale of the problem and the need...

The sudden departure of the CDC director with several other top leaders has raised urgent questions about the stability of the nation’s leading public health agency and its ability to provide consistent, evidence-based guidance. In an interview with Infection Control Today® ( ICT® ), David J. Weber, MD, MPH, president of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, and the medical director...

Infection prevention personnel are uniquely positioned to drive meaningful change in sharps safety, but only if we recognize and act on our critical role. Sharps injuries are not only a personal threat to health care workers; they also represent a preventable infection risk, a systems failure, and a missed opportunity for proactive intervention.  In the interview, available in its entirety here, w...

Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology’s (APIC’s) latest guide marks an important evolution in infection prevention by expanding beyond the traditional focus on central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSIs) to address all catheter-associated bloodstream infections (CABSIs). In this conversation with DJ Shannon, MPH, CIC, VA-BC, FAPIC, infection prevention man...

As seasonal viruses surge and recent outbreaks like measles highlight vulnerabilities, infection prevention experts are extending their reach into schools, recognizing that healthy classrooms are essential to healthy communities.

Do you know not to wrap your lips around the suction tube the dentist puts in your mouth? You will when you finish this podcast.

Infectious diseases have long been a major concern for global health. While much attention is given to bacterial and viral infections, fungal diseases remain an underappreciated and growing threat. With limited treatment options and rising resistance to existing antifungal drugs, the world is facing a silent crisis that could have devastating consequences. David Angulo, MD, an infectious disease s...

The Textile Rental Services Association (TRSA) plays a vital role in supporting the health care industry and critical infrastructure by providing hygienically clean health care contact textiles (HCTs) and personal protective equipment (PPE). Representing a $50 billion industry with over 200,000 employees across 2,500 facilities, TRSA ensures that essential supplies, including isolation gowns, scru...

The conversation around reusable personal protective equipment (PPE) is gaining traction, especially in the wake of the pandemic-induced shortages. Infection Control Today ’s interview with Joe Ricci, CEO of Textile Rental Services Association (TRSA), and Diane Troxel, MSN, RN, the director of clinical education at Handcraft Linen Services, shed light on the benefits and challenges of shifting tow...

Infection prevention has long focused on hand hygiene, but what about the surfaces patients and healthcare workers touch throughout the day? Jim Gauthier, MLT, CIC, alongside coauthors Carol Calabrese, RN, BS, CIC, and Peter Teska, MBA, introduced the concept of Targeted Moments of Environmental Disinfection (TMED) —a structured approach identifying 5 critical moments for cleaning high-touch surfa...

In an exclusive interview with Infection Control Today , Dr. Deborah Birx, MD, shared crucial updates on the ongoing threat of avian influenza (H5N1) and its implications for public health. With the H5N1 strain spreading globally and showing concerning cross-species transmission, Dr. Birx stressed the importance of strong infection prevention strategies, including improved surveillance, strict bio...