ICTalk: Infection Control Today Podcast

Epizodes

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  27: Lead Aprons May Represent an Overlooked Infection Prevention Blind Spot 30.07.2026 1h 2min

  Although lead aprons and thyroid collars are routinely worn in operating rooms, catheterization laboratories, interventional radiology suites, and emergency departments to protect clinicians from radiation exposure, panelists from this Infection Control Today and Diagnostic Imaging roundtable said these garments often fall outside formal cleaning and disinfection protocols.
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  26: AIDS 2026 Research Shows Individualized HIV Treatment Is Shaping the Future 29.07.2026 33min

  New research presented at AIDS 2026 found that 2-drug HIV regimens and long-acting injectable therapies provide effective treatment while expanding options for individualized care. Investigators say shared decision-making, adherence, quality of life, and reducing long-term medication exposure are increasingly important alongside achieving viral suppression.
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  25: Contagious Conversations: One Profession, Many Pathways Into Infection Prevention 20.07.2026 41min

  Is there only one path into infection prevention? Not according to experts from Ireland and Saudi Arabia. In the latest Contagious Conversations, infection prevention leaders discuss how their countries educate and recruit IPC professionals, why multidisciplinary teams are becoming the norm, and how the profession continues to evolve after COVID-19. The discussion explores everything from nursing and microbiology to public health, behavioral science, and even the possibility of future bachelor's degrees dedicated entirely to infection prevention.
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  24: Dental PPE and Hand Hygiene: Avoiding the Most Common Infection Control Breaches 09.07.2026 22min

  What are the most common infection control mistakes in dentistry? According to dental infection prevention experts Sherrie Busby and Lori Serna-Pate, the biggest challenges remain surprisingly consistent: inadequate hand hygiene, improper PPE use, and failing to wear utility gloves when handling reusable instruments and chemicals. This edition of The Clean Bite explores practical ways dental teams can improve adherence, including "habit stacking," better PPE workflows, and simple changes that strengthen both staff and patient safety.
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  23: Hantavirus: A Podcast with Matthew Pullen, MD, an Infectious Disease Doctor 02.06.2026 24min

  A hantavirus outbreak linked to a South American cruise ship is drawing global attention, but experts say fears of a COVID-19-style pandemic are largely unsupported. Infectious disease physician Matthew Pullen, MD, discusses Andes virus transmission, misinformation, cruise ship risks, and what health care professionals should really be watching for.
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  22: Contagious Conversations: How SPD Voices Are Shaping Patient Safety 07.04.2026 29min

  At the SoCal SPA Spring Conference, experts emphasized leadership beyond titles, urging SPD professionals to share knowledge, speak up, and turn everyday insights into safer patient care practices.
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  21: What Is Surgical Smoke, and Why Is it So Dangerous? An Expert Explains 06.04.2026 39min

  Former AORN President Vangie Dennis, MSN, RN, CNOR, CMLSO, FAORN, FAAN, explains why surgical smoke remains an overlooked hazard, detailing risks, misconceptions, and the urgent need for education, legislation, and culture change in perioperative safety.
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  20: The Invisible Heroes: Why Dental Assistant Recognition Week Matters 09.03.2026 52min

  Dental assistants manage sterilization, infection control, and patient education—yet most states require zero formal training. They earn the lowest wages in dental offices. Meet Sherrie Busby's 42-year mission to secure standardized credentialing and fair recognition. (Audio podcast)
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  19: Contagious Conversations: The Bold New Series Tackling the Toughest Topics in Infection Prevention 16.02.2026 36min

  Infection preventionists are experts at stopping pathogens, but many of the field’s hardest challenges are human. Contagious Conversations is a new video series that opens the candid, sometimes uncomfortable discussions about who belongs in infection prevention, how teams hire and grow, and what it will take to build a stronger workforce. Expect curiosity, honesty, and practical takeaways, not hot takes.
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  18: HSPA President Arlene Bush on Throughput, Standards, and Why Sterile Processing Must Celebrate Wins in 2026 11.02.2026 1h 4min

  In this ICT podcast, HSPA President Arlene Bush reflects on a year of global collaboration, shifting standards, and the realities of compliance in sterile processing. She shares why 2026 should focus on celebrating throughput wins, strengthening training through rounding, and leading with empathy in high-stress departments.
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  17: Breaking the Silence: How to Talk About HIV and PrEP Without Fear 05.11.2025 18min

  Conversations about HIV and sexual health can still feel uncomfortable, but they don’t have to. In a candid interview, Hope & Help medical director Cariane Morales Matos, MD, explains why open, stigma-free discussions about HIV prevention and PrEP are essential for protecting teens, families, and communities.
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  16: Veteran Infection Preventionists Chat: What Are The Soft Skills That Make Strong IPs? 01.11.2025 15min

  Infection prevention may be built on evidence, but it thrives on empathy. During a recent Infection Control Today roundtable, in this third installment, veteran infection preventionists shared how emotional intelligence, communication, and systems thinking—not just clinical expertise—define the profession’s future. The first 2 installments can be found on www.infectioncontroltoday.com.
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  15: Bug of the Month: I'm Older Than Empires 31.10.2025 3min

  The Bug of the Month helps educate readers about clinically important pathogens, both existing and emerging, in today's health care facilities.
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  14: NDM-CRE Surge Demands Stronger Infection Prevention and Testing Strategies, Study's Author Says 31.10.2025 7min

  This is the second of a 2-part conversation with CDC epidemiologist Danielle Rankin, PhD, MPH, CIC. In this installment, she dives into practical infection prevention strategies, surveillance challenges, and the urgent need for mechanism-specific testing as NDM-CRE surges in US health care settings.
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  13: At IDWeek, Dr Tom Frieden Urges a Simple Formula to Tackle Outbreaks and Drug Resistance: “See. Believe. Create.” 31.10.2025 7min

  At IDWeek in Atlanta, former CDC director Tom Frieden unveiled a crisp playbook for infection prevention—“See. Believe. Create.”—arguing it can help hospitals spot outbreaks sooner, reverse drug resistance, and drive HAIs toward zero. He paired the message with a 7-1-7 target: 7 days to find an outbreak, 1 to report, 7 to control.
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  12: Clean Hospitals Day 2025: A Discussion With Alexandra Peters, PhD, the New CEO 17.10.2025 17min

  On October 20, hospitals around the globe will pause to emphasize a crucial truth we all recognize but rarely admit openly: environmental hygiene can save lives. Clean Hospitals Day 2025 provides a platform to bring teams together, honor the environmental services (EVS) professionals who maintain safe care settings, and foster enduring practices that extend beyond this event.
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  11: Rising Threat of NDM-CRE: CDC Epidemiologist Highlights Urgent Infection Prevention Priorities 07.10.2025 16min

  In this conversation with CDC epidemiologist Danielle Rankin, PhD, MPH, CIC, unpacks her study about the urgent rise of NDM-CRE and what infection preventionists need to know now.
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  10: Evidence, Trust, and Prevention: David J. Weber, MD, MPH, on CDC Leadership and Public Health 09.09.2025 33min

  Without stable, science-driven leadership at the CDC, patient safety and public trust hang in the balance. Infection preventionists must demand accountability and champion evidence-based guidance now.
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  9: Sharps Safety Starts with Us: Why Infection Preventionists Must Lead the Charge 27.07.2025 26min

  Sharps injuries remain a silent but serious threat in health care that infection preventionists are uniquely equipped to confront. With underreporting widespread and safety devices underused, it’s time for IPs to step into a leadership role, using their expertise in systems thinking, education, and policy to build a culture where staff protection is as prioritized as patient care.
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  8: All About APIC’s New Guide Tackles All Catheter-Associated Bloodstream Infections 15.07.2025 10min

  APIC’s updated guide shifts the focus from CLABSIs to all catheter-associated bloodstream infections, offering infection preventionists a comprehensive approach to reducing bacteremia and enhancing patient safety.