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Antimicrobial Resistance (AR) | Healthcare-Associated Infection (HAI) Virginia Department of Health (VDH) | United States (U.S.) Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) |
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In this Newsletter:
✨Meet Jacqueline Williams: Our Newest Team Member at VDH HAI/AR!
Please join the HAI/AR Program in welcoming Jacqueline Williams as the HAI Epidemiologist. Jacqueline earned a Bachelor of Science from Bridgewater College and a Master of Public Health from Old Dominion University. She held several positions at the Portsmouth Health District, most recently serving as District Deputy Epidemiologist. In her new role, Jacqueline is the primary VDH point of contact for the National Healthcare Safety Network and reports to Dr. Shaina Bernard.
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📢 Hot Topics
💡CDC Health Updates
Mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with Spread to Neighboring Countries
- New: In late July 2024, countries bordering the DRC reported cases of clade I mpox.
- CDC Recommendation: Clinicians in the U.S. should be vigilant for mpox in patients who:
- Have recently been to DRC or neighboring countries (Republic of the Congo, Angola, Zambia, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, South Sudan, Central African Republic).
- Present with signs and symptoms of mpox.
- Additional Information:
Infection Prevention and Control of Mpox in Healthcare Settings
- New: CDC updated its mpox infection prevention and control guidance in healthcare settings.
- CDC Recommendation:
Increase in Human Parvovirus B19 Activity in the U.S.
- New: CDC Health Alert Network Health Advisory on increased human parvovirus B19 activity in the U.S.
- Virus Details: Parvovirus B19 is a seasonal respiratory virus transmitted through respiratory droplets from both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals.
- CDC Recommendations: Follow the recommended infection control precautions for persons with parvovirus B19 in healthcare settings.
2024-2025 COVID-19 Vaccine Approved
- New: FDA approved 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccines on August 22, 2024, for current variants.
- CDC Recommendation: Everyone 6 months and older should get the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine, especially those 65+, at high risk, or unvaccinated. Consult your healthcare provider with any questions.
- Additional Information:
💡Facility Guidelines Institute (FGI)
Guidelines for the Design and Construction of Healthcare Facilities Open for Public Comment
- New: Draft of the 2026 FGI Facility Code documents for hospitals, outpatient settings, and residential health, care, and support facilities has been published.
- Public Comment Period: To review the draft documents or submit a public comment (closes on September 30), refer to the FGI website.
📢 News in Virginia
VDH is recruiting healthcare providers to participate in the Influenza Sentinel Surveillance Program for the 2024-25 flu season
- Program: The Influenza Sentinel Surveillance Program monitors influenza trends in Virginia through active healthcare provider participation during the flu season.
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Participating sites are asked to:
- Submit respiratory specimens from individuals with influenza-like illness (ILI).
- Have these specimens tested at the state public health laboratory, Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services (DCLS), for respiratory viruses.
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Contact VDH at flu@vdh.virginia.gov to participate at no cost to facilities or patients.
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📢 National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN)
CMS Reporting Requirements for Acute Care and Critical Access Hospitals
- New: In 2024, the NHSN team is updating the national baseline for calculating standardized infection ratios (SIRs) and standardized utilization ratios (SURs) in the Patient Safety Component. The baseline will be calculated using data from 2022, and reports will be available in stages.
- Additional information:
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Visit 2022 NHSN HAI Rebaseline home page.
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2022 HAI Rebaseline presentation from the NHSN 2024 Annual Training is recorded and available on the CDC YouTube channel.
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📢 Training & Education
2024 APIC Virginia Educational Conference
Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) Annual Statewide Nursing Conference
- Date & Location: October 16, 2024, in Manassas, Virginia.
- Details: Lowering Risk of Urinary Tract Infections Among Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: The Role of the Nurse in Community Settings. Register online to secure your seat.
Virginia Infection Prevention Training Center
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Webinar: Blood culture stewardship and the current U.S. blood culture bottle shortage.
- Date and Time: September 12th, 12-1 PM ET. Register on VIPTC website.
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New Video Available Now! Central Line Care and Maintenance
- Proper care of central lines is critical in preventing bloodstream infections and other complications. Follow along with a student nurse as she learns best practices for central line care and maintenance.
CDC Project Firstline & University of Nebraska Medical Center
- Webinars: “Behind the Mask” monthly webinars and office hours focused on fundamentals of an infection prevention program. View webinar topics and register on the University of Nebraska website.
NACCHO Outbreak Prevention and Response in Healthcare Settings
- Webinar Series: Outbreak response and prevention in healthcare settings for local health department staff. Weekly, starting September 10, 2024, at 2:00PM; register via Zoom
World Health Organization (WHO) Hand Hygiene Infographics
- Resource: One-page infographics detailing the “5 moments for hand hygiene,” tailored to your setting or specific patient scenarios.
- Details: Includes caring for a patient with a urinary catheter, a post-operative wound, hemodialysis settings, and more.
Updated Enhanced Barrier Precautions Frequently Asked Questions
Virginia Department of Social Services Infection Prevention Training for Assisted Living Facilities and Adult Day Centers
- Resource: TRAIN Virginia now includes an infection prevention and control training plan for assisted living facility and adult day center providers. Curriculum includes:
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Foundational infection prevention and control curriculum for all staff
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Content aligns with VDSS’s train-the-trainer resource binder
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Additional enrichment courses for all staff, and courses for supervisors and leaders in infection prevention and control are available
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📢 Awareness Events
🗓️ Sepsis Awareness Month: Sepsis is a medical emergency. In honor of #SepsisAwarenessMonth, @SepsisAlliance is encouraging everyone to learn the signs of sepsis. As many as 80% of sepsis deaths could be prevented with early detection and treatment. Take the time to learn the signs. You could save a life. Learn more at www.SepsisAwarenessMonth.org. #SAM2024
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: September 8-14, 2024 | Environmental Services Week is a time to show appreciation for the dedicated EVS personnel. #EVSWeek
🗓️ Fungal Disease Awareness Week: September 16-20 | Each day will highlight a different fungal disease topic. For #FungalWeek24, raise awareness to help protect people, plants, and animals from the growing impact of fungal diseases. https://bit.ly/4dyCy6u
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🗓️ Global Handwashing Day: #GlobalHandwashingDay is October 15! Handwashing with soap and water can help protect you, your household, and your community from getting sick from germs. https://bit.ly/3QIvXuv
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🗓️ International Infection Prevention Week: October 20-26, 2024 - International Infection Prevention Week (IIPW) aims to shine a light on the infection prevention profession each year. This year’s theme is “Moving the Needle on Infection Prevention.” |
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Learn more about National Health Education Week from SOPHE
Learn more on how you can celebrate Respiratory Care Week
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📢 Making Connections
✴️ Vitamin IPC. Subscribe to the monthly Vitamin IPC bulletin by VIPTA for essential resources and access to events to enhance frontline healthcare personnel’s infection prevention and control training.
✴️ Clinician Letter. This emailed letter is sent to all currently licensed healthcare professionals in the Commonwealth to communicate important updates. Access archived letters at Clinician Letters - Clinicians (virginia.gov)
✴️ Cuppa Tea with an IP. A weekly live chat with VDH infection preventionists (IPs) and experts to address your infection prevention and control questions. Register once to attend any session as needed.
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We want to hear from you!
Connect with us by visiting our website or email us at hai@vdh.virginia.gov.
Get Updates!
Sign up for news from the HAI/AR Program, including newsletter publications here!
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