Top 5 Infection Prevention Articles of Summer 2025

From emerging pathogens to global infection prevention progress, Infection Control Today^®’s summer lineup spotlights the challenges—and solutions—driving the field forward. This season’s Bug of the Month reminds us that dangerous microbes can strike without warning. In The Clean Bite, powerhouse educator Samantha Mangioni equips future dental assistants to live infection control from day one.

At the 2025 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology Annual Conference and Expo and the 2025 Healthcare Sterile Processing Association Annual Conference, Cori L. Ofstead, MSPH, and her colleagues made the case for borescopes as an indispensable sterile processing tool to uncover hidden instrument contamination.

Meanwhile, the rise of unauthorized UVC devices highlights the growing need for regulatory vigilance and patient safety safeguards. And from a global lens, a 7-year certification initiative in the Middle East shows how sustained investment in training can transform infection prevention capacity across health care systems.

Together, these stories highlight the innovation, urgency, and collaboration needed to keep patients and staff safe in every care setting.

Bug of the Month: No Vaccine. No Warning. Just Me

The Bug of the Month helps educate readers about existing and emerging pathogens that are clinically important in today's health care facilities.

The Clean Bite: Real Talk About Infection Control — From the Classroom to the Operatory

Want dental assistants who don’t just know infection control, but live it from day one? Tune in to The Clean Bite and learn how powerhouse instructor Samantha Mangioni is shaping the next generation to protect every patient, every time.

What Lies Beneath: Why Borescopes Are Essential for Verifying Surgical Instrument Cleanliness

Despite their smooth, polished exteriors, surgical instruments often harbor dangerous contaminants deep inside their lumens. At the HSPA25 and APIC25 conferences, Cori L. Ofstead, MSPH, and her colleagues revealed why borescopes are an indispensable tool for sterile processing teams, offering the only reliable way to verify internal cleanliness and improve sterile processing effectiveness to prevent patient harm.

Unauthorized UVC Devices in Health Care Pose Legal and Safety Risks

Unauthorized UVC disinfection devices are quietly entering hospitals, bypassing FDA clearance and basic safety standards, putting patient safety and institutional compliance at serious risk.

Building Infection Prevention Capacity in the Middle East: A 7-Year Certification Success Story
Despite rapid development, the Middle East faces a critical shortage of certified infection preventionists. A 7-year regional initiative has significantly boosted infection control capacity, increasing the number of certified professionals and elevating patient safety standards across health care settings.