American Journal of Infection Control

Flexible endoscopes are essential tools used for minimally invasive screening, diagnostic, and therapeutic procedures.1,2 Reusable endoscopes must be sterilized or high-level disinfected (HLD) between uses.1-4 Prior to sterilization or HLD

Prior to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the number of people traveling and returning from abroad was increasing annually.1 This was accompanied by an increase in the number of patients who received medical care overseas and later

Ultraviolet “C” (UVC) whole-room devices have been used for decades to supplement chemical disinfection in the healthcare environment with varying levels of success and acceptance. A 2018 report showed most healthcare workers (HCW) in a hospital

Long-term care facilities in Japan that care for patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID) are prone to outbreaks of respiratory infections, such as influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).1 This study examines a

Negative outcomes associated with COVID-19 in pregnant patients make vaccination an imperative precaution for this patient population. Pregnant patients were excluded from the randomized clinical trials conducted early in the pandemic to determine

The COVID-19 pandemic has accumulated a high number of deaths,1 where it has been estimated that approximately 80% of patients admitted to intensive care units (ICU) require mechanical ventilation, which is a risk factor for the development of

In nursing facilities (NFs) urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common, costly, and morbid representing the second most frequent infections preceded only by respiratory conditions.1,2 The prevalence of UTIs in NFs ranges from 0.6% to 21.8% and the

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are infections that occur after a surgical procedure and are the second most common health care-associated infections.1,2,3 The United States (US) Center for Disease Control and Prevention has estimated that 300,000-

Health care associated infection (HAI) is the most frequently reported health care-associated complication experienced by hospital patients, with at least 50% HAI being considered preventable.1 Infections due to multidrug-resistant organisms lead to

The quick spread of COVID-19 and subsequent patient hospital admissions required hospitals across the world to quickly adapt and pivot to provide care safely and adequately. As the initial COVID-19 surge approached, the University of California, San