Infection Control Matters

Author: Brett Mitchell

We are a group of professionals who work in the field of infectious disease and infection prevention and control. In this podcast series, we discuss new research and issues on the topic of infection prevention and control. We will pick new papers of interest and will discuss them, often with an author of the paper who can give us some insights into the research that go beyond the written paper. We are unfunded and do not accept solicitations from companies or marketeers.Authors will include nurses, doctors, academics, clinicians, administrators and leaders.We should stress that all of our comments relate to our own opinions and that they do not necessarily reflect those institutions and employers that we relate to.We welcome comment, suggestions and ideas. Please consider subscribing for updates and to find collections of topic specific podcasts at www.infectioncontrolmatters.com
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ESCMID Global 2026 – Selected Gems from the Poster Hall (Part 1)
Episode 184
Thursday, 4 June, 2026

In the first of two special episodes recorded live from the poster hall at ESCMID Global 2026 in Munich, Brett and Martin swap the lecture theatre for the exhibition floor as they explore some of the most interesting infection prevention and antimicrobial resistance research on display. In this episode we discuss the following posters. Links to copies of the posters are provided. The hidden cost of contact precautions – Researchers from Greece quantify the enormous bed capacity burden created by patients requiring isolation or cohorting for multidrug-resistant organisms, showing that although only 4% of admissions required contact precautions, they accounted for over 10% of hospital bed-days. https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/download/qgadvjnz5btbbhru/ESCMID_Global_2026_-_Bed_resources_needed_for_patients_on_contact_precautions_because_of_MDR_pathogens8p3ta.pdf Can Google Maps reviews tell us something about infection prevention? – An innovative analysis from Germany and Spain explores thousands of online hospital reviews, demonstrating that infection prevention issues feature prominently in patient feedback and are often associated with more negative experiences. https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/download/4fgzatetxdrdiunr/ESCMID_Global_2026_-_Infection_prevention_in_hospitals_in_Germany_and_Spain-_a_Google_Maps_review_analysis6b9ko.pdf What lives on shared surfaces in long-term care? – A Dutch environmental microbiology study reveals frequent contamination of high-touch communal surfaces with clinically important Gram-negative organisms, raising important questions about cleaning practices and transmission risks in care facilities. https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/download/w9vgebabddcywhny/ESCMID_Global_2026_-_Gram-negative_microorganisms_on_high-touch_shared_surfaces_in_Dutch_long-term_care_facilities7clqb.pdf Using bacteriophages as environmental disinfectants – Researchers from China describe how a targeted phage cocktail reduced environmental contamination and clinical isolation rates of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in an intensive care setting, offering a fascinating glimpse into future biological approaches to environmental decontamination. https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/download/vj92ubxxfw8t9szj/ESCMID_Global_2026_-_Phage_intervention_effectively_reduces_nosocomial_transmission_of_carbapenem-resistant_em_Acinetobacter_baumannii_-em_ays63.pdf Is more screening worth it? – A Norwegian modelling study examines the economics of expanded admission screening for antimicrobial resistance, suggesting that broader screening of higher-risk patients can prevent healthcare-associated infections and remain cost-effective in a low-prevalence setting. https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/download/bfmjj2t797589cfy/ESCMID_Global_2026_-_Cost-effectiveness_of_proposed_screening_guideline_for_resistant_microbes_compared_to_current_screening_guideline_for_patients_upon_admission_to_Norwegian_hospitals8oum8.pdf Making guidelines engaging again – An Irish trainee-led "Infection Guideline Club" demonstrates how peer-delivered education can improve engagement with clinical guidelines, build confidence, and create valuable opportunities for discussion and learning. https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/download/w9zpcbrbrimdken8/ESCMID_Global_2026_-_Successful_development_of_peer_delivered_Infection_Guideline_Club_-_a_six-month_pilot_and_anonymous_participant_survey8ruuu.pdf