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May 2026

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Inside this Issue

• HAI Program publishes statewide antibiogram
• CPO cases climb at an increasing rate
• Free Norovirus Outbreak Testing
• Connecting with Dentists on Infection Prevention and Stewardship
• Resources

HAI Program publishes statewide antibiogram

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) Program has released a statewide antibiogram dashboard summarizing antimicrobial susceptibility patterns reported by Oregon hospitals through the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN).

The statewide antibiogram is intended to increase awareness of statewide resistance patterns and support empiric antibiotic selection when facility-level antibiograms are unavailable or limited.

In addition, data is now available on how many hospitals meet the CDC’s Core Elements and Priority Elements of Antibiotic Stewardship (AS).

CPO cases climb at an increasing rate

There have been 19 cases of carbapenemase-producing organisms (CPO) in the first quarter of 2026. Oregon is on pace to surpass the 2025 total of 35 cases. The Oregon Multidrug-resistant Organism (MDRO) dashboard provides detailed data. This dashboard replaces the quarterly Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) Report.

CPO Cases in Oregon by Year

Free Norovirus Outbreak Testing

Did you know the Oregon State Public Health Lab provides FREE norovirus testing for long-term care facilities? This testing helps accurately diagnose residents so they receive the best care possible, and gives facilities information to take steps to prevent further transmission. Oregon is one of four regional certified CaliciNet Outbreak Support Centers, a national norovirus surveillance network, and your samples also help identify contaminated food outbreaks, track emerging strains and improve prevention efforts.

If your facility has two or more suspected residents with norovirus-like symptoms, call the On-call Epi line at 971-673-111 to report the cluster and coordinate the delivery of supplies. Specimens can be collected up to 14 days after symptoms end - so don't delay!

Illustration of a single norovirus virion. (CDC Image Library)

Connecting with Dentists on Infection Prevention and Stewardship

Our HAI team was excited to meet with dentists at this year’s Oregon Dental Association Conference, offering infection prevention and antibiotic stewardship materials and inviting attendees to take part in a quick survey. We’re now reviewing the responses to better understand how we can support dental practices in the state.

Roza Tammer and Kristen Hollywood, infection prevention and antibiotic stewardship epidemiologists with the OHA HAI Program at the Oregon Dental Conference. April 2026.

Resources

Measles is in Oregon. Is your facility ready?

There are 22 cases in Oregon as of April 30, 2026. See the two resources below for healthcare facilities.

CDC- Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Measles in Healthcare Settings

OHA - Clinical Algorithm for Suspect Measles Cases Without Known Exposure to Measles 

Need infection prevention support?

Our experienced Infection Preventionists are here to help! Our team can offer expert guidance if you're managing an outbreak or looking to strengthen your infection prevention practices. Reach out for a consultation, and let us help you keep patients and staff safe!

Join our Healthcare-Associated Infections Advisory Committee (HAIAC)

Healthcare-Associated Infections Advisory Committee (HAIAC) membership is an opportunity to provide input and expertise, help guide our work, and stay informed about our program’s activities. Members serve a two-year term and attend as many meetings as they can.

Current vacancies are:

• Academic researcher
• Physician who practices in an ambulatory surgical center (ASC) with interest and involvement in infection control
• Representative of the business community

The next meeting is scheduled for June 10 from 1 to 2 pm. Everyone is welcome, regardless of membership. Tentative topics include fire season and healthcare facility air quality, antibiograms, and federal updates.

Join our quarterly infection prevention collaboratives

Sign up to enhance your infection prevention knowledge and stay ahead in protecting patients, residents, and staff.  Reach out if you're interested in joining our Eastern or Western  Oregon IP Collaborative, where we spend one hour discussing the latest infection prevention strategies. All interested healthcare and public health staff are welcome to attend.

The content for this newsletter was edited for plain language with assistance from AI tools. It was reviewed and fact-checked by a team of humans before publication.

Oregon Health Authority works to transform the health care system in Oregon by lowering and containing costs, improving quality and increasing access to care to improve the lifelong health of Oregonians. OHA is overseen by the nine-member citizen Oregon Health Policy Board working toward comprehensive health reform in our state.

The HAI program within the OHA Public Health Division is dedicated to preventing and containing healthcare associated infections (HAIs) and addressing the growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AR). Through initiatives such as the Antimicrobial Resistance Laboratory Network (AR Lab Network) and the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN), we are bolstering our ability to detect and respond to antibiotic resistance while strengthening the nation's most widely used HAI tracking system. We also focus on antibiotic stewardship to improve the appropriate use of antibiotics, and we provide comprehensive infection prevention and control (IPC) education and training to equip the health care workforce with the necessary skills. Our team further offers IPC consultations to health care facilities throughout the state, providing expert guidance and support in implementing effective infection prevention strategies and responding to outbreaks. Together, we are committed to enhancing patient safety and reducing the impact of HAIs and antimicrobial resistance.