American Journal of Infection Control
LightNews LightNews
banner
ajicjournal.bsky.social
American Journal of Infection Control
@ajicjournal.bsky.social
260 followers 81 following 130 posts
@APIC's scientific journal. AJIC is the foremost resource on infection control, epidemiology, infection diseases, quality management, disease prevention, and implementation science.

https://www.ajicjournal.org
Posts Replies Media Videos
ajicjournal.bsky.social
New in AJIC: A single-site analysis found that COVID-19 vaccination reduced health care personnel absences—but only until Feb 2022, when absences began to rise among vaccinated staff as epidemiology changed.

Read: www.ajicjournal.org/article/S019...

#InfectionPrevention #COVID19 #AJIC
Effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination to prevent health care personnel absences: A single site experience
Absenteeism from infections has a significant impact on the health care workforce. We found that COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment reduced absenteeism in health care personnel until Fe...
www.ajicjournal.org
December 4, 2025 at 10:47 PM
ajicjournal.bsky.social
New in AJIC: At a large academic hospital, rhinovirus/enterovirus made up 32.5% of HA-RVIs, second only to SARS-CoV-2. Rates rose each year after 2021—especially in pediatric units—pointing to possible gaps in testing, policy, or visitor practices.

Read: www.ajicjournal.org/article/S019...
Trends in rhinovirus/enterovirus health care-associated infections at a large academic hospital from July 2018 to June 2024
This report identifies rhinovirus/enterovirus as the second most prevalent cause of health care-associated respiratory viral infections (HA-RVIs) at a large academic hospital with > 950 inpatient beds...
www.ajicjournal.org
December 4, 2025 at 10:44 PM
ajicjournal.bsky.social
New in AJIC: A national survey of 2,084 medical personnel in China found moderate hospital resilience during emerging infectious disease surges.

Read: www.ajicjournal.org/article/S019...

#InfectionPrevention #EmergencyPreparedness #AJIC
Assessment of hospital resilience in response to medical surges during major emerging infectious diseases: A cross-sectional study from China
This study aimed to systematically assess hospital resilience of China and identify critical contributing elements using a score-based evaluation and network analysis approach.
www.ajicjournal.org
December 4, 2025 at 10:43 PM
ajicjournal.bsky.social
New in AJIC: Video review of pediatric trauma resuscitations found frequent PPE lapses, early mask nonadherence, and low correction rates. Many lapses occurred among non-clinical observers, emphasizing need to streamline access and reinforce PPE policies.
Read: www.ajicjournal.org/article/S019...
Timing and type of personal protective equipment adherence lapses in pediatric trauma resuscitation: A retrospective video study
Although personal protective equipment (PPE) reduces the transmission of infectious diseases, adherence among health care providers remains inconsistent. Developing strategies to improve PPE use requi...
www.ajicjournal.org
December 4, 2025 at 10:41 PM
ajicjournal.bsky.social
New in AJIC: A comparative study found that AISI, SII, and SIRI—simple, low-cost inflammatory indices—can help predict CLABSI within 2 days of central line insertion.

Read: www.ajicjournal.org/article/S019...
#InfectionPrevention #CLABSI #AJIC
Early screening of central line-associated bloodstream infections: A novel comparative analysis of AISI, SII, and SIRI as predictive biomarkers
Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are a significant cause of morbidity and early detection remains a challenge. This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of inflammatory...
www.ajicjournal.org
December 4, 2025 at 10:31 PM
ajicjournal.bsky.social
New in AJIC: A multi-institutional benchmarking project (22 systems, 32M+ encounters) found that while benchmarking didn’t reduce overall pediatric ARI antibiotic prescribing, it improved prescribing quality.

Read: www.ajicjournal.org/article/S019...

#AntimicrobialStewardship #Pediatrics #AJIC
Identifying successful pediatric outpatient antimicrobial stewardship strategies through benchmarking: A multi-institutional project
We evaluated the impact of benchmarking on antibiotic prescribing and identified antibiotic stewardship strategies affecting pediatric outpatient antibiotic prescribing.
www.ajicjournal.org
December 4, 2025 at 10:27 PM
ajicjournal.bsky.social
New in AJIC: Nationwide data from South Korea (2018–2023) show a sharp drop in antibiotic prescriptions at the start of the pandemic, followed by a gradual rebound during the endemic period.

Read: www.ajicjournal.org/article/S019...

#AntimicrobialStewardship #InfectionPrevention
Changes in antimicrobial prescriptions in South Korea during and beyond the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: An interrupted time-series analysis
Although the coronavirus pandemic significantly affected antibiotic use, studies on the long-term effects of the pandemic on antibiotic use are lacking. We aimed to investigate the changes in antibiot...
www.ajicjournal.org
December 4, 2025 at 10:16 PM
ajicjournal.bsky.social
New in AJIC: A study of 677 Ohio nursing homes found that allowing outside visitors did not increase COVID-19 infections among residents—even during high community transmission and before vaccines.

Read: www.ajicjournal.org/article/S019...

#InfectionPrevention #LongTermCare #COVID19 #AJIC
Nursing home visitor policy and COVID-19 infection rates
During the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Ohio was the only state that collected facility-level visitation data after rescinding its ban on visitors. This study examines the association...
www.ajicjournal.org
December 4, 2025 at 9:55 PM
ajicjournal.bsky.social
New in AJIC: Researchers developed and validated the Operating Room Ventilation System Assessment (ORVSA) tool—a 7-domain, 44-item checklist to evaluate OR ventilation systems and support SSI prevention.

Read the full article: www.ajicjournal.org/article/S019...
Development and validation of an Operating Room Ventilation System Assessment (ORVSA) tool: A comprehensive checklist for surgical site infection prevention
Surgical site infections (SSIs) can lead to increased mortality rates, extended hospital stays, and higher health care costs. Application of an effective operating room (OR) ventilation system is a cr...
www.ajicjournal.org
December 4, 2025 at 9:53 PM
ajicjournal.bsky.social
New in AJIC (Open Access): A qualitative study exploring how skilled nursing facility staff clean mobile medical equipment—and how gaps in time, training, and clarity of responsibility contribute to MDRO risk

Read: www.ajicjournal.org/article/S019...
#InfectionPrevention #MDRO #LongTermCare #AJIC
A qualitative study of health care professionals’ attitudes and practices of mobile equipment cleaning
Skilled nursing facilities report a high prevalence of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) among their vulnerable patient population. While research has identified fomite-mediated transmission such ...
www.ajicjournal.org
December 4, 2025 at 9:51 PM
ajicjournal.bsky.social
New in AJIC: A joint editorial from the APIC and SHEA presidents highlights why a strong public health system is essential—and what’s at stake as funding, workforce capacity, and scientific integrity come under pressure. Read the editorial: www.ajicjournal.org/article/S019...
#InfectionPrevention
Safeguarding America’s health: the critical role of public health infrastructure in an era of erosion and uncertainty
On March 4, 1929, Herbert Hoover said in his inaugural address, “Public health service should be as fully organized and as universally incorporated into our governmental system as is public education....
www.ajicjournal.org
December 4, 2025 at 9:02 PM
ajicjournal.bsky.social
📊 RN staffing matters.

🧼 Each additional RN hour/patient/day = 3% ↓ MRSA BSI
📈 MRSA BSI ↑ during 2020–2021, then ↓ again
🏥 Study from 1,625 hospitals across U.S.
📣 Nursing = key to infection prevention

🔗 www.ajicjournal.org/article/S019...

#MRSA #NurseWorkforce #HAI #InfectionPrevention #AJIC
Registered nurse workload and hospital-onset methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections
The prevention of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a national priority. Data from the American Hospital Association Survey and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services show th...
www.ajicjournal.org
October 13, 2025 at 3:22 PM
ajicjournal.bsky.social
💉 New AJIC Systematic Review—Open Access!

📊 Single-site blood culture sampling (SSS) may beat multisite:
✅ ↑ Pathogen detection
❌ ↓ Contamination risk
⚠️ >4 bottles = no added value
🧪 18K+ patients, 25K+ samples reviewed

🔗 www.ajicjournal.org/article/S019...
Single-site sampling strategy versus multisite sampling strategy in blood culture collection within the hospital setting: A systematic review
Many global infectious disease and sepsis guidelines suggest a multisite sampling (MSS) strategy of blood cultures to diagnose bloodstream infections, however, single-site sampling (SSS) may be a viab...
www.ajicjournal.org
October 13, 2025 at 3:21 PM
ajicjournal.bsky.social
🧪 New in AJIC – Open Access!

📌 First quality index system for automated endoscope reprocessors
🔍 Key findings:
• 54.5% of issues = human error (mainly leak detector setup)
• 58-item system based on SPO model + Delphi method

📖 www.ajicjournal.org/article/S019...
Development of a quality evaluation index system for the management of automated endoscope reprocessors: Based on the structure-process-outcome model
The increasing reliance on automated endoscope reprocessors (AERs) for endoscope reprocessing has highlighted gaps in management systems. This study aimed to develop a comprehensive quality evaluation...
www.ajicjournal.org
October 13, 2025 at 3:19 PM
ajicjournal.bsky.social
🦸‍♂️ The Hero Program is changing hand hygiene.

📈 +11.45% HH compliance in 120 days
🎯 94% compliance after 1 year
🤖 Algorithm adjusts for workload + consistency
🎁 Daily rewards = sustained engagement
📊 566,000+ HH events analyzed

🔗 www.ajicjournal.org/article/S019...
Hero Program: A data-driven reward system to improve hand hygiene
Healthcare-associated infections compromise patient outcomes and pose a burden on healthcare systems worldwide. Despite widespread awareness of the critical role of Hand Hygiene (HH) in preventing hea...
www.ajicjournal.org
October 13, 2025 at 3:18 PM
ajicjournal.bsky.social
📊 New study finds:
🧼 +27–31% ↑ hand disinfection in patient rooms when observed
📉 –32% to –99% ↓ HD in utility rooms
🤖 Electronic monitoring quantified Hawthorne effect
🏥 Bias varied by room & unit type

🔗 www.ajicjournal.org/article/S019...

#HandHygiene #HawthorneEffect #InfectionPrevention #AJIC
Observing is influencing: How hand disinfection compliance observations affect hand disinfection rates; specifics derived from an electronic monitoring system
Monitoring hand disinfection (HD) with direct observation is considered the gold standard but is flawed by the Hawthorne effect (HE). In our project in a German university hospital, we quantified the ...
www.ajicjournal.org
October 13, 2025 at 3:16 PM
ajicjournal.bsky.social
🚨 Digital feedback via electronic monitoring system boosts hand hygiene compliance

📈 Long-term feedback (9 months) ↑ HH adherence from 37.9% → 52.5%
👥 Group-only feedback = not enough
🙋 Individual + group = best results
⭐ Actual % > symbolic feedback (stars)

🔗 www.ajicjournal.org/article/S019...
Digital feedback to improve adherence to hand hygiene: A longitudinal study on the effects of an electronic monitoring system
This study investigated the impact of digital feedback from an electronic monitoring system (EMS) to health care workers (HCWs) at both the group and individual levels on the adherence to hand hygiene...
www.ajicjournal.org
October 13, 2025 at 3:15 PM
ajicjournal.bsky.social
🧼 New in AJIC!

Do hand-drying products need to be sterile for surgical hand antisepsis?

👨‍⚕️ Study says: No!
✅ Clean paper towels: fewer bacteria than sterile cloth towels
💰 Major cost savings: CNY 0.20 vs. CNY 5.70–8.20
🔬 All methods met antisepsis standards

📖 www.ajicjournal.org/article/S019...
Is sterility essential for hand-drying products in surgical hand antisepsis? A controlled before-and-after study
Using sterile hand-drying products for surgical hand antisepsis incurs high economic and labor costs.
www.ajicjournal.org
October 13, 2025 at 3:13 PM
ajicjournal.bsky.social
🦠 New in AJIC!

📍 Candida auris in NY, 2017–2022:
— No surge during COVID-19
— ↑ Black & Hispanic patients post-COVID
— ↑ Younger patients in colonization screening
— No joinpoint shift in clinical case trends

📊 Equity matters in pathogen surveillance.

🔗 www.ajicjournal.org/article/S019...
Characterization of patients with Candida (Candidozyma) auris before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in New York, 2017-2022
Candida auris causes severe, invasive infections. We characterized C. auris epidemiology in New York before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
www.ajicjournal.org
October 13, 2025 at 3:06 PM
ajicjournal.bsky.social
🧫 New in AJIC!

🦠 Acanthamoeba found in 58.5% of dust samples from high-risk hospital areas in Western Iran

📖 www.ajicjournal.org/article/S019...

#InfectionPrevention #Acanthamoeba #HospitalHygiene #AJIC @APIC
Environmental detection and genetic profiling of Acanthamoeba in high-risk medical facilities
Acanthamoeba parasite, one of the most common environmental protozoans, can be isolated from contact lenses, cleaning solutions, ventilation systems, dental treatment units, dialysis units, and emerge...
www.ajicjournal.org
October 13, 2025 at 3:04 PM
ajicjournal.bsky.social
📢 New in AJIC!

📌 Strongyloides outbreak in NY intermediate care facility (Nov–Dec 2023)

➡️ 11 residents & 6 staff tested positive
➡️ Hand hygiene compliance just 4%
➡️ All cases treated—last case reported Dec 2023

🔗 Read more: www.ajicjournal.org/article/S019...

#InfectionControl #LTC #AJIC
Redirecting
doi.org
October 13, 2025 at 3:02 PM
ajicjournal.bsky.social
Infection prevention prelicensure nursing education: Exploring graduating student and preceptor experiences - American Journal of Infection Control www.ajicjournal.org/article/S019...
Infection prevention prelicensure nursing education: Exploring graduating student and preceptor experiences
This study explores infection prevention and control (IPC) perceptions and experiences of final-semester pre-licensure nursing students and their clinical preceptors, highlighting the need for strong ...
www.ajicjournal.org
August 29, 2025 at 8:59 PM
ajicjournal.bsky.social
First report of Lodderomyces elongisporus identification in intensive care unit patients in Colombia - American Journal of Infection Control www.ajicjournal.org/article/S019...
First report of Lodderomyces elongisporus identification in intensive care unit patients in Colombia
Lodderomyces elongisporus, a yeast commonly associated with environmental sources, is emerging as a human fungal pathogen. This report presents the first documented case of L.elongisporus colonization...
www.ajicjournal.org
August 29, 2025 at 8:58 PM
ajicjournal.bsky.social
Opening the door to infection prevention: A survey of a-IPC certificants - American Journal of Infection Control www.ajicjournal.org/article/S019...
Opening the door to infection prevention: A survey of a-IPC certificants
The Associate-Infection Prevention and Control (a-IPC) certification was developed to provide an entry-level credential for infection preventionists and those pursuing careers in IPC. To evaluate its ...
www.ajicjournal.org
August 29, 2025 at 8:57 PM
ajicjournal.bsky.social
Interventions to prevent bloodstream infections associated with central venous access devices: Priorities for an adaptive platform trial - American Journal of Infection Control www.ajicjournal.org/article/S019...
Interventions to prevent bloodstream infections associated with central venous access devices: Priorities for an adaptive platform trial
Health care-associated bloodstream infections are serious complications of central venous access devices. Numerous preventative interventions exist, but without high-level evidence. The IVCare adaptiv...
www.ajicjournal.org
August 29, 2025 at 8:56 PM