2024 | IPC News | September : simplebooklet.com

2IPC News | acipc.org.auProfessional development is also a key focus of an upcoming webinar where ACIPC IPC Consultants Karen McKenna and Carrie Spinks will showcase our tools and resources essential for our IPC practice. The webinar will be held on Wednesday 2 October, and you can register here. On the advocacy front this month, Dr Sally Havers (President-Elect), Kristie Popkiss (Past-President), Ben Thiesen (Executive Manager) and I met with the Federal Department of Health and Ageing to discuss IPC in aged care settings. We received very good feedback on ACIPC’s Aged Care Community of Practice. Keep an eye on your email to hear more about the next ACIPC initiatives to support our aged care colleagues. This month we also announced ﬁve new awards which will be presented at this year’s ACIPC 2024 Conference. The awards recognise the outstanding contributions of ACIPC members across a range of areas, and I am excited to see who the lucky winners will be. More information on the conference awards can be viewed here.Don’t hesitate to use the President’s email address president@acipc.org.au. I am looking forward to reading your emails.Thank you for your continued support of ACIPC, until next month. ACIPC President 2IPC News | acipc.org.auStéphane BouchouchaWelcome to the September 2024 Edition of IPC News. With the end of the year getting closer, it can be easy to feel that time is racing by, and the goals we set ourselves are slipping out of reach. Having spoken with some colleagues, I know that this might resonate with some of you, and this is where we need to be kind to ourselves. We may not achieve everything we set out to do this year, but it is probably not for lack of trying.Work lives (and personal lives) are full of surprises that have a habit of getting in the way of goals. Many of us are still experiencing increased workload due to the ongoing pandemic, the high incidence of seasonal viruses and increased health services demands. So here are two goals that I challenge you to try to achieve this year:1. Have a look at the conference datesand early bird registration. The programfor this year’s conference has just beenreleased and it promises to be a greatevent in IPC, allowing us to learn andnetwork. There are face-to-face or onlineoptions to suit people’s needs, andthis year we are oering onsite sharedregistrations, allowing a dierent personfrom a team to attend each day. Takea look at registration options on ourconference website.2. Consider submitting a research proposalfor our new Sustainability in IPC grant.Last year your Board approved thisgrant, dedicated to sustainable IPCpractices, and I am excited that we areable to fund such research as this, whichtargets two key areas in our strategicplan: sustainability and professionaldevelopment. You can ﬁnd out moreabout this research grant here.

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3September 2024Contents ACIPC President 2ACIPC International Conference 4Notice of AGM 10Blood Borne Virus Testing Course 11ACIPC Sustainability in IPC Research Grant 12Member Proﬁle - Yvette Samisoni 13IPC Week 16October Lunch & Learn Webinar 17Aged Care Community of Practice Webinar 19Bug of the Month - Pertussis 20'Totally Under Control': Failure at the Intersection of Politics and Public Health 22NSQHS Guide for Ambulance Services Released 24Infection Control Matters Podcast 25Latest Articles from Infection, Disease & Health 27 Selected Publications of Interest 283September 2024

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4IPC News | acipc.org.auACIPC INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCESUCCESSION, SUSTAINABILITY, AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROLOn behalf of the Board of Directors, it gives us great pleasure to invite you to attend the 2024 ACIPC International Conference. RegistrationThis year’s conference will feature new registration categories designed to make attendance easier for delegates whether joining us in Melbourne or online. These initiatives include:• Onsite Shared Registrations: This option grants access for three individuals to attend, with each person allotted a single-day entry, allowing multiple team members to beneﬁt from the event without separate registrations.• Online Day Registration: Attendees can choose speciﬁc conference days aligning with their interests, focusing on sessions most relevant to their professional goals.• Dinner Inclusive Registrations: Delegates can opt to include dinner with their registration, customising their conference experience according to their preferences.An early registration discounted fee will be oered and will be available until the 8th of October 2024.You can ﬁnd out more about conference registration here.By attending the conference, you will learn from national and international experts, network with likeminded professionals, and meet with Australasia’s largest collection of IPC industry suppliers.The conference is the peak event for infection prevention and control professionals (ICPs) in the region and includes Australasia’s largest trade exhibition dedicated to showcasing IPC industry suppliers. Delegates include nurses, IPC managers, and consultants, aged care workers, scientists, academics, educators, policymakers, medical practitioners, hospital managers, and those responsible for managing and delivering IPC programs in non-healthcare settings. More information regarding the conference including invited speakers, social events, and engagement initiatives can be found on the conference website here. EXTENDED! EARLY REGISTRATION CLOSES 8 OCT

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ACIPC INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE17–20 NOV 2024MELBOURNE CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE, VIC & ONLINESUCCESSION, SUSTAINABILITY, AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL5September 2024Preliminary ProgramThe preliminary program for the 2024 ACIPC International Conference is now available.For onsite attendees, the scientiﬁc program will be complemented by a comprehensive social program, commencing Sunday evening with pre-conference drinks hosted by College President Stéphane Bouchoucha.For online attendees, all conference-invited speakers and free paper sessions will be live-streamed, with recorded content available for viewing on demand for 3 months following the conference.CLICK HERE FOR THE PRELIMINARY PROGRAM

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6IPC News | acipc.org.auACIPC INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCESUCCESSION, SUSTAINABILITY, AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROLInvited SpeakersWe are very excited to have a fantastic lineup of international and national speakers at this year’s conferenceJessica DanglesJessica Dangles, MBA, MS, PMP, CAE is the Executive Director of the Certiﬁcation Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC). Prior to working with CBIC, she was the Accreditation Standards Manager at the American College of Surgeons within the Division of Research and Optimal Patient Care. Jessica holds a Master of Science in Human Resources and her Master of Business Administration. She also holds her Certiﬁed Association Executive (CAE) credential. She believes certiﬁcation is essential to patient safety and public protection and enjoys working with the CBIC board and sta to positively impact infection and infection control practices. Lisa HallDr Lisa Hall is a Professor in Epidemiology at the School of Public Health, University of Queensland, and consultant epidemiologist for the Guidance Group at Melbourne Health. She is an epidemiologist, implementation scientist and health services researcher with signiﬁcant policy experience at statewide and national levels. Lisa is internationally recognized for her research which focuses on the interface between evidence, policy and implementation to improve the surveillance and prevention of healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance. Since 2013, she has been named as a Chief Investigator on grants and consultancies worth over $15 million. Lisa was a technical expert on the Australian Commission of Safety and Quality in Healthcare (ACSQHC) Healthcare Associated Infection Advisory Committee between 2009 and 2024. She has been an Associate Editor of the American Journal of Infection Control since 2016.

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ACIPC INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE17–20 NOV 2024MELBOURNE CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE, VIC & ONLINESUCCESSION, SUSTAINABILITY, AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL7September 2024Glenn BrowningGlenn Browning is a veterinary microbiologist interested in developing novel solutions to problems in animal health through education, research, mentorship and consultation. His research aims to enhance our knowledge about the fundamental pathogenesis and epidemiology of infectious diseases, develop novel diagnostic assays, vaccines and approaches to disease control, and improve our understanding about veterinary prescribing behaviours and the most appropriate interventions to optimise antimicrobial stewardship.He gained his veterinary degree at the University of Sydney in 1983, worked at the University of Sydney’s Rural Veterinary Centre as a clinical ocer in 1984, completed a PhD in veterinary virology at the University of Melbourne in 1988, worked as a Veterinary Research Ocer at the Moredun Research Institute in Edinburgh, Scotland, from 1988-1991, and has been a member of sta at the University of Melbourne since 1991, where he is currently a Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor and Director of the Asia-Paciﬁc Centre for Animal Health, a multidisciplinary research centre within the university committed to improving animal health, welfare and production. Among the Centre’s achievements are the development of novel attenuated vaccines to control bacterial and viral respiratory diseases of poultry, pigs and cattle, the development of diagnostic assays to improve detection of a wide range of viral and bacterial diseases in animals, and the elucidation of reasons for emergence and spread of infectious diseases in livestock. The Centre also has a strong interest in antimicrobial stewardship in animal health in national and international settings.CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL LIST OF SPEAKERS

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ACIPC INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE17–20 NOV 2024MELBOURNE CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE, VIC & ONLINESUCCESSION, SUSTAINABILITY, AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL9September 20242024 ACIPC Lecture Speaker AnnouncedEach year, the ACIPC Board invites an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the ﬁeld of infection prevention and control to present the ACIPC Lecture at our ACIPC International Conference. On behalf of the board of directors, it gives me great pleasure to announce Professor Brett Mitchell AM will present the ACIPC Lecture at our 2024 conference in Melbourne. Brett was invited to present in recognition of his ongoing support and leadership within our ﬁeld, our profession, and the College. The ACIPC Lecture is scheduled from 1.40 to 2.10pm on Tuesday 19 November 2024 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre in Melbourne. Stéphane BouchouchaPresidentAustralasian College for Infection Prevention and Control LtdProfessor Brett Mitchell AM is Editor-in-Chief of Infection, Disease & Health. He is a Professor of Nursing at Avondale University and works at the Central Coast Local Health District. Brett has over 150 peer reviewed publications and conference presentations. Professor Mitchell is a Fellow of ACIPC and the Australian College of Nursing. Brett has worked in the area of infection control for many years, including leading infection control programs in hospitals and at a state level. His research interests in the area of infection control include environmental cleaning, pneumonia, surveillance, and urinary tract infections.

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NOTICE OF AGMNotice of Annual General MeetingAustralasian College for Infection Prevention and Control Ltd (ACIPC)ABN 61 154 341 03610IPC News | acipc.org.auDear Member, Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control Ltd will be held on Tuesday 19 November commencing at 5:15 pm (AEDT) at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. The meeting will be streamed on Zoom and Members will be sent registration details prior to the meeting. On the website you can read:• the agenda • the minutes of the last Annual General Meeting• the proxy appointment formClick here to go to the website At the AGM members will have the opportunity to:• ﬁnd out about the College’s operations and ﬁnances• ask questions about the College’s operations and ﬁnances• speak about any items on the agenda• vote on any resolutions proposed At the meeting members will be asked to vote on resolutions to:• accept the minutes of the last Annual General Meeting• accept the annual report• accept the auditor’s report and annual ﬁnancial statements• appoint an auditor• appoint DirectorsAppointment of DirectorsEligible members were invited to nominate for the Board by the 30 September 2024. Regards,Stéphane Bouchoucha President, ACIPC Ltd Blood Borne Virus TESTING COURSEIf you have any questions, please email learning@acipc.org.au or go to our website for more information acipc.org.au The course has been designed for healthcare practitioners involved in undertaking testing in all healthcare settings including midwifery, acute care, community health, women’s health, correctional health, rural and remote health, refugee health, sexual health, and infection prevention and control practitioners.DURING THE COURSE YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT: Epidemiology, transmission, management options and prevention of HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C Dierent tests available to correctly diagnose, testing intervals post exposure and window periods for testing Post incident pre- and post-test discussion for both the recipient and the source following the incident The personal impact and medical consequences of HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C Conducting a risk assessment for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C Strategies and resources for eective health promotion and prevention education Basic counselling skills including listening, questioning, reﬂecting and summarising COST: $350MOREINFORMATION

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11September 202411IPC News | acipc.org.au11IPC News | acipc.org.auBlood Borne Virus TESTING COURSEIf you have any questions, please email learning@acipc.org.au or go to our website for more information acipc.org.au The course has been designed for healthcare practitioners involved in undertaking testing in all healthcare settings including midwifery, acute care, community health, women’s health, correctional health, rural and remote health, refugee health, sexual health, and infection prevention and control practitioners.DURING THE COURSE YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT: Epidemiology, transmission, management options and prevention of HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C Dierent tests available to correctly diagnose, testing intervals post exposure and window periods for testing Post incident pre- and post-test discussion for both the recipient and the source following the incident The personal impact and medical consequences of HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C Conducting a risk assessment for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C Strategies and resources for eective health promotion and prevention education Basic counselling skills including listening, questioning, reﬂecting and summarising COST: $350MOREINFORMATIONBOOK NOW FOR THE COURSE COMMENCING 18TH OCT 2024 LIMITED SPACES LEFT

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12IPC News | acipc.org.auACIPC SUSTAINABILITY IN IPC RESEARCH GRANTACIPC recognises the importance of creating sustainable approaches to Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) practices across healthcare and community settings. IPC programs are designed to prevent and reduce the risk of transmission of infection for patients in healthcare and community settings. Existing IPC strategies focus on the use of isolation, transmission-based precautions, and the use of single-use and disposable items that contribute to the generation of substantial amounts of health-related waste, as well as signiﬁcant economic, environmental, and social impacts. The ACIPC Sustainability in IPC Research grant allows ACIPC members to undertake sustainability research to explore opportunities to reduce the environmental impact of infection prevention practices.FUNDING ACIPC (in conjunction with additional funding partners*) is oering up to $70,000 across the Sustainability in IPC research grants. SUBMISSION Applications must be submitted to the ACIPC oce, oce@acipc.org.au, by the speciﬁed closing. You must attach supporting documentation to the application form in accordance with the instructions in the application form. CLOSING DATE The closing date for application is 4 October 2024. ACIPC is committed to supporting innovative and collaborative research to facilitate better health outcomes. To achieve this, commercial contributions may be accepted to the grant fund. However, funding partners will not be involved in the assessment and selection of projects. Administration and governance of the research project responsibility for this will remain solely with the ACIPC board and where relevant, the research grants and scholarships committee.GAMA HealthcarePlatinum funding partnerFOR MORE INFORMATION CLICK HERE

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13September 20241313MEMBER PROFILEYvette SamisoniThis month, we chat with Yvette Samisoni, who is the Infection Prevention and Control Supervisor with Health Care (Fiji) Pte Ltd.Can you tell us about your career background and what led you to a career in IPC?Since taking care of my grandmother and nursing my sibling’s playground wounds, I knew I wanted to be a nurse. After ﬁnishing high school in 2004, I enrolled in the Diploma in Nursing program at the Fiji School of Nursing. Following graduation in 2007, I worked at the Lautoka Hospital and then relocated to the Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWMH) in 2009.My interest in Infection Prevention and Control was sparked in 2010 when I enrolled in a Bachelor of Public Health Nursing program. As part of the coursework, I took a unit on research, which included a ﬁnal assessment that required a research proposal. I was particularly interested in patients with multi-resistant organisms (MROs) who were transferred from CWMH Intensive Care Units to the Acute Surgical Ward (ASW), where I had been working for a year. To better understand the signiﬁcance of MROs and the critical role of IPC in preventing their transmission, I spent several weeks visiting the IPC oce and gathering information. A month after submitting my assignment, I was transferred from ASW to the IPC Unit, marking the beginning of my journey as an IPC Nurse.I was both excited and scared as I stepped into my new role, but I quickly joined a fantastic team of IPC nurses, including the microbiology team, who sparked a deeper fascination with microorganisms. I often joke that if there is a next life, I’d love to be a microbiologist!After returning to Lautoka Hospital in 2013, I joined Health Care (Fiji) Pte Ltd. HCF is a Public-Private Partnership company formed between the Fiji National Provident Fund and Aspen Medical managing Lautoka Hospital and Ba Hospital under a contract with the Government of Fiji. In my current role I oversee IPC at both HCF facilities, and I am proud and excited of the contributions we are making to improve patient safety and patient and community outcomes.

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The burden of communicable diseases, such as tuberculosis, HIV, and emerging infections further exacerbates the situation, leading to increased healthcare costs and overwhelming the already stretched resources. In the context of a small island nation like Fiji, the issues of carbapenem resistance and HIV are particularly pressing. These infections pose signiﬁcant public health challenges and require robust IPC strategies to prevent their spread. It is crucial to recognize that eective IPC is just as vital in low-resource settings as it is in high-resource environments. At Health Care (Fiji), IPC is at the top of the agenda and we are on a journey to ensure that policies and procedures are in place, resources are available, adequate training is provided to all sta and monitoring systems are in place to measure compliance for improvement.Tell us about a typical day for youIn the past year I have been involved in developing IPC-related documents and strategic planning. Ba Hospital is approximately a 40minute drive from my home in Lautoka. On most days I drive out to Ba and meet up with the IPC Nurse in Ba. Emails always start the day and then it’s a deep dive into the calendar to see what trainings or meetings are on for the day. 14IPC News | acipc.org.auMEMBER PROFILE - Yvette SamisoniWhat fascinates you about IPC and what are you passionate about?What fascinates me the most in IPC is understanding the pathogens. Every pathogen has distinct transmission route, resistance proﬁle, and clinical consequence. The challenge of grasping these variations and their impact on infection control strategies is fascinating. I love it!I am truly passionate about the impact that eective IPC practices can have on communities, especially in reducing healthcare-associated infections. The challenge of balancing compliance, education, and innovative technologies to improve outcomes is inspiring. It is rewarding to see how slight changes in practice can lead to signiﬁcant improvements in health. Are there particular challenges for IPC in your region and what are they?Fiji, like other Paciﬁc Island countries and territories, faces signiﬁcant resource constraints that complicate healthcare delivery. The implementation of eective IPC measures is impossible without access to basic resources such as personal protective equipment, disinfectants, and adequate medical supplies. Furthermore, healthcare facilities in Fiji are outdated and have not been properly maintained, which undermines eorts to establish safe and eective IPC protocols.

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15September 20241515I have had to book additional focus time to work on developing the IPC and AMS Programs and preparing education and training plans for the team in preparation for accreditation. This has been rewarding as I understand the contributions will have positive impact on patient outcomes.Having case discussions with the IPC team, clinicians, clinical governance team and management keeps the day busy. The work is challenging but also fulﬁlling.What has been your career highlight so far?Completing the Foundations of IPC - International earlier this year has been the highlight of my career so far. I am grateful to ACIPC for developing a course for IPC professionals in the Paciﬁc.I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Paciﬁc Community (SPC) for being selected as a scholarship recipient. This scholarship allowed me and nine other IPC Nurses in the Paciﬁc Islands an opportunity to build on our knowledge and skills in IPC. The opportunity this scholarship has provided is invaluable, and I am deeply appreciative.The foundations course facilitated by Ms. Min Tanuvase Lene provided an opportunity to apply knowledge to everyday practice. It also provided an opportunity for students from around the region to learn from each other and unique challenges that we share.How do you like to relax and unwind? Any hobbies or interests you would like to share with us?As a mother of three young children (ages 10, 7, and 4), ﬁnding time to relax and unwind can feel almost impossible. When I do get a chance, I enjoy having a kava session with family or grabbing a few drinks at the local bar with friends.One of my hobbies is cooking; I love experimenting with new recipes, especially when I can share them with family and friends. I also enjoy engaging in creative activities like crafting, which serves as a great outlet for self-expression. Spending time outdoors with my children helps me recharge while keeping them happy and active."What fascinates me the most in IPC is understanding the pathogens. Every pathogen has distinct transmission route, resistance proﬁle, and clinical consequence. The challenge of grasping these variations and their impact on infection control strategies is fascinating. I love it!"

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INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL WEEK13-19 OCTOBER 202416IPC News | acipc.org.auRESOURCES NOW AVAILABLEIPC Week is celebrated each October and aims to shine a light on infection prevention and control, and the crucial role IPC professionals play in keeping the public safe and healthy. This year’s theme is ‘Moving the Needle on Infection Prevention,’ and the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) has outlined ﬁve areas of focus:• Professional development• Healthcare worker safety• Patient safety• Public health preparedness• IPC in al settingsACIPC has some great resources to help you and your team celebrate IPC Week, including: • IPC Week posters (A3 and A4 sizes) for you to print out and display • A fun IPC themed wordﬁnd to challenge your IPC knowledge • Email signature banners to download and use • A ‘Wordle a Day’ with an IPC theme We’ll be running a competition, with the prize a copy of Healthcare-Associated Infections in Australia by Professor Ramon Shaban. Keep an eye on our website here. Don’t forget to follow us on social media for updates.Check out APIC’s 2024 International Infection Prevention Week page here.

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13-19 OCTOBER 2024Title: From big things bigger things can grow: Optimising opportunities to move the needle for infection prevention and control post pandemic Presenter: Professor Ramon Z. ShabanDate: Friday 18 October at 12pm AEDTOCTOBER LUNCH & LEARN WEBINARAbstract: The COVID-19 global pandemic was arguably the most signiﬁcant event for infection control practitioners globally in modern times. It brought with it unimaginable challenges and diculties, forcing us to think dierently in the most testing of circumstances. It was ‘big’, and during the height of the public health emergency phase it was hard to see how anything could have been bigger. But the pandemic also oered (and still oers) opportunities that were once considered unimaginable—to manifest other big opportunities once considered impossible. This presentation showcases one such success story. It details how seizing and manifesting opportunities from the pandemic led to the establishment of groundbreaking body of work that is moving the needle for infection control practitioners and our profession and some of the most vulnerable patients, and communities we serve.CLICK HERETO REGISTER17September 2024

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18IPC News | acipc.org.auOCTOBER LUNCH & LEARN WEBINARCLICK HERETO REGISTERAbout the presenter: Professor Ramon Z. Shaban is Clinical Chair of Communicable Disease Control and Infection Prevention with the Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute of the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney and Western Sydney Local Health District. Professor Shaban is a leading internationally credentialed expert infection control practitioner with particular strengths in high-consequence infectious diseases, disease control, emergency care and health protection. He is Chief Infection Control Practitioner and District Director of Communicable Disease Control and Infection Prevention for Western Sydney Local Health District, where he provides strategic and operational leadership of infection prevention and disease control services. He is also an Associate Director of the New South Wales Biocontainment Centre, Australia's ﬁrst purpose-built state-of-the-art facility for the prevention, containment and management of high-consequence infectious disease located at Westmead Hospital in New South Wales. He and a team of his colleagues identiﬁed and managed the ﬁrst cases of COVID-19 in NSW at Westmead Hospital, and Mpox within New South Wales.Professor Shaban is Past President of the Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control (ACIPC), and a former member of the Australian Government Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Antimicrobial Resistance and the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare Healthcare-associated Infection Advisory Committee. He has served as ACIPC Executive Representative to the World Health Organization Global Outbreak and Response Network. He has served as Technical Advisor to the World Health Organization on Antimicrobial Resistance, is Editor-in-Chief of the journal Australasian Emergency Care and a Senior Editor for the journal Infection, Disease and Health. He currently serves as a Professional Member (Panels and Hearings) with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of New South Wales and a Senior Member (Professional) with the Occupational Division of the NSW Civil and Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

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Topic: Tips and tricks to managing IPC in environmental services – cleaning, laundry, waste, catering Presenter: Carrie Spinks, ACIPC IPC ConsultantThis session pulls apart all aspects of environmental services, and examines what IPC looks like in these speciality areas. What resources can support the services and help overseeing managers be in the know? The ﬂoor is open for comments, input and sharing ideas and concerns.About the presenter: Carrie is an experienced infection control consultant, holding a BSc (RN), a Master of Science (Advanced Nurse Practitioner) and a Master of Advanced Practice (Infection Prevention and Control), Nurse Immuniser and Training and Assessment, along with other post graduate courses. Carrie also facilitates ACIPC’s Foundations of IPC course, and the Short Course in Infection Prevention and Control in Aged Care Settings. Carrie has a passion for aged care, and has worked in roles in management, quality and infection control. She’s particularly interested in the development of infection control programs, resources and education in aged care settings.PAID ADVERTYou can also get involved with our Aged Care Community of Practice, access our free webinars, and use our online aged care forum, Aged Care Connexion. Find out more hereCLICK HERETO REGISTER

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20IPC News | acipc.org.auBUG OF THE MONTHPertussis What is it?Pertussis is a highly contagious bacterial infection caused by Bordetella pertussis, also known as whooping cough or the ‘hundred-day cough1-3. Symptoms of pertussis include fever, tiredness, runny nose and a cough that gradually develops into a hacking cough followed by whooping. Symptoms usually appear 7 – 10 days after infection, and can last up to 3 months2,4. People with pertussis are usually infectious from the onset of their ﬁrst cold-like symptoms, until 21 days after the cough symptoms, or until 5 days after antibiotic treatment has been completed4. How is it transmitted?Pertussis is spread from person to person through the inhalation of droplets produced by coughing or sneezing2. At risk groupsAnyone can get pertussis, but it is considered to be life-threatening in babies, particularly those less than 6 months of age who are too young to be fully immunised4. Unvaccinated children and adults, and household contacts of someone with pertussis are also at increased risk of infection3. Healthcare workers are recommended to receive pertussis vaccination every 10 years, due to the increased risk of transmission of infection to vulnerable patients5. Pertussis cases have increased signiﬁcantly in 2024, with rates over 10 times higher than all of 2023 results combined. Find out more about this potentially life-threatening infection with Karen McKenna, ACIPC IPC Consultant

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21September 2024References1. Australian Government. Pertussis (whooping cough). 2022;2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pertussis. Health topics. 2024;3. Health direct. Whooping cough. 2024;4. Better Health Channel. Whooping cough (Pertussis). 2024;(Infections)5. Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI). The Australian Immunisation Handbook. Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care; 2022.6. National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare. National health and Medical Research Council; 2019PreventionImmunisation and prevention strategies are the best way to protect against pertussis infection. Pertussis can be prevented with vaccination, however as immunity fades over time, booster vaccinations are recommended every 10 years4. Pregnant women should be vaccinated during each pregnancy between 20 to 32 weeks’ gestation to provide protection to the baby4. Prevention strategies to minimise the spread of pertussis include: cough etiquette, hand washing, increased cleaning of high-touch surfaces, personal protective equipment (PPE) and droplet transmission-based precautions6.Key messages• Vaccination is the most important measure to prevent pertussis and is recommended for everyone.• Vaccination is free through the National Immunisation Program for high-risk groups.• Occupational groups are at an increased risk of exposure and transmission and should be up to date with their vaccinations.

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'TOTALLY UNDER CONTROL': FAILURE AT THE INTERSECTION OF POLITICS AND PUBLIC HEALTHBy Matiu Bush MPH RN NP MACNPhD Candidate, Nurse Practitioner Ākonga i te tohu kairangi, Mātanga tapuhiSchool of Health & Social Development Deakin University Totally Under Control (2020) Madman Entertainment22IPC News | acipc.org.auAcademy Award-winning ﬁlmmakers Alex Gibney, Ophelia Harutyunyan, and Suzanne Hillinger delve deep into the collision of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Trump Administration in their documentary "Totally Under Control." Through interviews with public health ocials, the ﬁlm exposes a systemic collapse in the U.S. pandemic response, highlighting continuous failures of political leadership during the time-critical stages of the outbreak. This documentary oers compelling answers for anyone who has ever wondered how the world's wealthiest and most powerful country failed so thoroughly in responding to this crisis.The documentary benchmarks the U.S. testing, contact tracing, and isolation arrangements against those of South Korea. With its urbanized population of 51 million, South Korea lost signiﬁcantly fewer lives and avoided major lockdowns compared to the U.S. This comparison serves as a stark illustration of the divergent approaches and outcomes between the two nations.At the time of the ﬁlm's release, the United States, home to just 4% of the world's population, accounted for an alarming 21% of global COVID-19 deaths. This disparity raises serious questions about the eectiveness of the U.S. federal government's response, especially considering that the country had updated pandemic plans and had conducted a recent multi-state pandemic exercise in August 2019.

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23September 2024Political Priorities Over Public Health A critical revelation in the documentary is that by February 7, President Trump was aware of the deadly nature of the virus. However, instead of acting to protect American lives, the administration appeared to prioritize political considerations over public health. The appointment of public health ocials based on political loyalty rather than scientiﬁc acumen became evident. Career scientists and public health experts were sidelined in favor of political allies who ran ideological interference with frustrated public health practitioners. This practice introduced a critical lack of technical expertise into leadership roles and caused a fundamental disconnect with the scientiﬁc community.Contrasting ApproachesIn contrast to the U.S. response, South Korea quickly developed and deployed widespread testing capabilities, allowing for early detection and containment. South Korean public health experts led the decision-making process, with politicians playing a supporting role. Meanwhile, the U.S. faced signiﬁcant delays in developing reliable tests and scaling testing capacity.In a twist of bitter irony, the N95 mask, the gold standard for respiratory protection, was invented in the U.S. by Dr. Peter Tsai. Yet, when U.S. healthcare workers needed them most, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including N95 masks, were nowhere to be found. This shortage not only put healthcare workers at grave risk but also hampered eorts to control the virus's spread, leading to unnecessary infections and deaths."Totally Under Control" serves as a crucial examination of the intersection of politics and public health during the COVID-19 pandemic. It underscores the importance of maintaining a robust, scientiﬁcally-guided public health infrastructure that can withstand political pressures and respond eectively to global health crises. The documentary stands as a stark warning about the dangers of allowing political ideology to supersede scientiﬁc knowledge in public health emergencies.Totally Under Control (2020) is available on Amazon, Google Play and YouTube.23September 2024

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24IPC News | acipc.org.auThe National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards for Ambulance Health Services (The Guide) has been published on the Commission’s website.The Guide was developed with a broad range of industry experts to interpret the NSQHS Standards for ambulance health services implementing the NSQHS Standards. ACIPC IPC Consultant Carrie Spinks was among those who participated in this process.The Guide provides examples of strategies and evidence to support ambulance health services understanding of the intent and requirements of the NSQHS Standards and includes sections addressing the Preventing and Controlling Infections Standard:• Clinical governance and quality improvement systems• Infection prevention and control systems• Reprocessing of reusable equipment and devices• Antimicrobial stewardshipTo view or download the Guide, click hereTo view or download the fact sheet, click hereNSQHS GUIDE FOR AMBULANCE SERVICES RELEASED24IPC News | acipc.org.au

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25September 2024INFECTION CONTROL MATTERS PODCASTRemoving contact precautions – what trial do we need? In this episode, Brett and Martin discuss a recent paper from Sarah Browning and colleagues that describes how an RCT on the ending of aspects of contact precautions (gloves and aprons) for MRSA and VRE could be conducted. The paper can be found here:https://www.clinicalmicrobiologyandinfection.com/article/S1198-743X(24)00243-X/abstract Our other podcasts on contact precautions, gloves and aprons can be found here:https://infectioncontrolmatters.podbean.com/e/have-gloves-had-their-day/https://infectioncontrolmatters.podbean.com/e/reﬂecting-on-a-contact-precautions-talk-at-eccmid-with-dr-gonzalo-bearman/https://infectioncontrolmatters.podbean.com/e/25-years-of-contact-precautions-but-beneﬁt-or-harm-and-what-is-the-evidence-with-prof-jennie-wilson/TO LISTEN OR DOWNLOAD CLICK HEREThe CLEEN study: Background and discussion with the authorsOur guest host, Dr Sally Havers this week talks to some of authors from ClEaning and Enhancd DisinfectioN (CLEEN) study (including some regular voices..). The study was recently published in the Lancet Infectious Disease (link below). The CLEEN study is a world ﬁrst RCT that explores the impact of cleaning and disinfection of shared medical equipment on HAIs. The study reports signiﬁcant reductions in HAIs associated with increased cleaning and disinfection of shared equipment. In this chat, the background to the study is discussed, as well as some implementation and practical considerations. We also touch on the time it takes to clean, which is related to another paper from the CLEEN study recently published in the Journal of Hospital Infection.

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For those attending the 2024 IPS conference in Birmingham in a few weeks, Brett will be presenting the full methodology and main eectiveness results at the conference. Early cost-eectiveness data will also be presented, as well as results from a time and motion study exploring how long it takes to clean equipment.For those attending the 2024 ACIPC conference in Melbourne in November, there is a concurrent session on the main eectiveness results and a lightning session on how long it takes to clean equipment. PublicationsBrowne, K., White, N. M., Russo, P. L., Cheng, A. C., Stewardson, A. J., Matterson, G., ... & Mitchell, B. G. (2024). Investigating the eect of enhanced cleaning and disinfection of shared medical equipment on health-care-associated infections in Australia (CLEEN): a stepped-wedge, cluster randomised, controlled trial. The Lancet Infectious Diseases. Matterson, G., Browne, K., Tehan, P., Russo, P. L., Kiernan, M., & Mitchell, B. G. (2024). Cleaning time and motion: an observational study on the time required to eectively clean shared medical equipment in hospitals. Journal of Hospital Infection. Is IPC the friend of sustainability?Dr Gemma L Saravanos (she/her) is an infectious diseases epidemiologist and a Registered Nurse leading public health research, and education of pre-registration nursing students. She is based at the Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sydney and works across the Camperdown (Patyegarang) and Westmead (Baludarri) campuses in Sydney. In this episode, Phil chats to Gemma about an open access publication she led discussing IPC programs contribution to environmental harm, and argues the case that increased investment in IPC is crucial for sustainable health and environmental systems. Saravanos, G.L., Islam, M.S., Huang, Y. et al. Infection prevention and control programme priorities for sustainable health and environmental systems. BMC Global Public Health 2, 6 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s44263-023-00031-4 26IPC News | acipc.org.auTO LISTEN OR DOWNLOAD CLICK HEREINFECTION CONTROL MATTERS PODCAST

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27September 2024Latest articles from Infection, Disease & HealthCredentialling in Australia for infection prevention and control: Philosophy, principles and practiceDeborough Macbeth, Catherine Viengkham, Ramon Z. Shabanhttps://www.idhjournal.com.au/article/S2468-0451(24)00063-4/abstractEvaluation of the inﬂuenza-like illness case deﬁnition and the acute respiratory infection case deﬁnition in the diagnosis of inﬂuenza and COVID-19 in healthcare personnelHelena C. Maltezoua, Flora Sourri, Nikolaos Lemonakis, Amalia Karapanou, Theodoros V. Giannouchos, Maria N. Gamaletsou Dimitra-Maria Koukou, Kyriakos Souliotis, Athanasia Lourida, Periklis Panagopoulos, Dimitrios Hatzigeorgiou, Nikolaos V. Sipsashttps://www.idhjournal.com.au/article/S2468-0451(24)00065-8/abstract INFECTION CONTROL MATTERS PODCAST

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Selected publications of interest 28IPC News | acipc.org.auWater-free patient care: a narrative review of the literature and discussion of the pressing need for a way forwardhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195670124002263Evaluating national infection prevention and control minimum requirements: evidence from global cross-sectional surveys, 2017–22https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(24)00277-8/fulltextSummary of WHO infection prevention and control guideline for covid-19: striving for evidence based practice in infection prevention and controlhttps://www.bmj.com/content/385/bmj.q645Mpox control strategies: using behaviour change to complement, not replace, vaccinationhttps://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(24)00614-5/fulltextPAID ADVERT

2024 | IPC News | September

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