A bilayer hydrogel enables spatiotemporal delivery of distinct hepcidin forms to reprogram macrophage responses for repair of infected bone defect.

Electrospun PCL/PVA core-sheath nanofibres enabling staged antibiotic and peptide delivery for diabetic foot ulcer dressings.

AI-guided 3D bioprinting of multi-drug-loaded chitosan methacrylate hydrogels for personalized diabetic ulcer repair.

Candida auris is an emerging yeast that is frequently resistant to antifungal drugs. C. auris can cause invasive infections associated with high mortality and can colonize patients asymptomatically, which facilitates transmission in health care settings. Since it was first reported in the United States in 2016, C. auris has been identified in multiple states, with increasing numbers of cases reported annually. Monitoring national trends in cases identified through clinical testing and screening for colonization is critical to guide infection prevention and control efforts. 2022-2024. State and jurisdictional health departments voluntarily report clinical and screening C. auris cases to CDC using standardized case definitions of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. Clinical cases are defined as detection of C. auris from specimens collected for diagnostic purposes; screening cases are defined as detection from colonization screening swabs. Cases were reported to CDC through the Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) or Data Collation and Integration for Public Health Event Response (DCIPHER) platforms. Data included patient age and sex, case type, specimen type (for clinical cases), health care facility type, Antimicrobial Resistance Laboratory Network geographic region, and specimen collection date. Analyses were descriptive and limited to cases with specimens collected during 2022-2024. During 2022-2024, a total of 13,507 clinical C. auris cases were reported to CDC, increasing from 2,882 in 2022 to 4,428 in 2023 and 6,197 in 2024, with smaller annual percentage increases over time (53.7% from 2022 to 2023 and 39.9% from 2023 to 2024). Most clinical cases occurred among adults aged ≥45 years (87.8%) and among males (61.0%). The most common specimen types among all clinical cases were urine (31.5%) and blood (30.2%); by year, the proportion of blood as the specimen type was 34.4% in 2022, 30.2% in 2023, and 25.6% in 2024. Most clinical cases were identified through specimens collected in acute care hospitals (76.6%) and long-term acute care hospitals (17.8%).During the same period, a total of 27,853 screening cases were reported to CDC, increasing from 6,226 in 2022 to 9,195 in 2023 and 12,432 in 2024. Screening cases most frequently occurred among adults aged ≥45 years (90.0%) and males (57.9%). Among cases with known facility type, the proportion of specimens collected in acute care hospitals increased from 24.7% in 2022 to 50.7% in 2024, whereas the proportion of specimens collected in long-term acute care hospitals decreased from 56.1% to 35.7% during the same period. The number of clinical and screening C. auris cases reported to CDC increased during 2022-2024, indicating ongoing transmission in U.S. health care settings. Although annual percentage increases in clinical cases declined over time, absolute case counts reported to CDC continued to rise. The increasing proportion of screening cases with specimens collected in acute care hospitals might reflect increased use of screening in acute care hospitals, including screening at admission. Because of increases in the number of reported C. auris cases, sustained infection prevention and control efforts in health care facilities, including adherence to transmission-based precautions, environmental disinfection with agents effective against C. auris, and communication of C. auris status during patient transfers remain essential to preventing clinical infections and colonization. Because this pathogen is frequently resistant to antifungal drugs, continued investment in laboratory capacity and surveillance, including antifungal susceptibility testing and screening of patients at high risk for C. auris infection, can support timely detection and guide prevention strategies. Ongoing public health coordination at federal, state, and local levels is critical to limit further spread and to address emerging antifungal drug resistance.

The protection of public health through structured infection prevention is now firmly established. However, the establishment of independent institutions, evidence-based recommendations and cross-sectoral cooperation in the field of hygiene was not aforegone conclusion, but rather the result of profound historical developments and health crises. The aim of this article is to describe the developments in Germany that have led to the institutionalisation of infection prevention and control (IPC) and the changing challenges it has faced since its inception.Industrialisation and urbanisation in the last third of the 19thcentury led to problems with water supply and sewage disposal, which in turn led to serious outbreaks of infection. From the 1920s onwards, solutions had to be developed for the health hazards posed by air and soil pollution as aresult of technological progress, and after 1950, nosocomial infections became the focus of attention.The establishment of the Royal Research and Testing Institute for Water Supply and Wastewater Disposal in 1901 was asignificant step towards the institutionalisation of IPC. The range of tasks was adapted to changing requirements and additional institutes were founded. Under the Infection Protection Act, the Robert Koch Institute and its Commission for Infection Prevention and Hygiene in Healthcare and Nursing are now mandated to perform IPC tasks. At interfaces with other federal institutions responsible for infection control inter-institutional cooperation creates synergies for the protection of the population.

Infection prevention and control (IPC) evidence is imperative to reduce healthcare-associated infections, yet IPC guidelines often rely on low-level evidence due to challenges in conducting rigorous randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Understanding long-term research trends can clarify strengths, gaps, and priorities. Therefore, this bibliometric review aimed to identify trends and patterns in IPC RCTs over the past 20 years. A systematic search was conducted in the Scopus database between January 2002 and September 2025. RCTs in IPC were included. Identified studies were exported into Covidence software for screening. Metadata were imported into Biblioshiny® software, which analysed annual scientific production, citation data, authorship, and collaboration. Manual coding of data was also conducted to assign themes to the included research. This bibliometric review was reported in accordance with the BIBLIO reporting checklist. The search yielded 2312 studies, of which 239 were included. The findings show intermittent periods of growth in annual publication output, particularly in the past two years. Research activity is concentrated in the USA, Australia, and the UK. Over half of all publications fall within four key IPC themes - medical devices, skin antisepsis, wound therapy, and hand hygiene - while remaining studies reflect considerable topic heterogeneity. RCTs in IPC has grown substantially over the past decade. Although existing international collaborations were identified, substantial scope remains to further strengthen these networks. This presents an opportunity to strengthen the evidence base. Given the growth of RCTs, there is a case for living guidelines in key IPC areas.

Identification of challenges to implementation of infection control guidance in primary care during COVID-19 incidents: Lessons for pandemic planning.

Benzalkonium chloride and its derivatives as 5α-reductase 1 inhibitors to disrupt neurosteroid biosynthesis.

To evaluate the effect of a structured training intervention on ICU nurses' knowledge-based competence in VAP prevention in a resource-limited setting and identify personal, environmental and organisational barriers to implementation. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was employed, integrating a single-group quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test quantitative strand with a qualitative interview strand. Because participant responses were not linked across assessment points, findings represent group-level improvements rather than within-individual change. ICU nurses completed pre-test (n = 57) and post-test (n = 56) assessments using an adapted eight-item VAP prevention knowledge questionnaire. A structured 3-h workshop on VAP prevention bundles, infection control and airway management was delivered between tests; the post-test occurred within 2 weeks. Group differences were analysed using an independent-samples t-test and chi-square tests. Qualitative interview data (n = 8) were analysed thematically to explain and contextualise the quantitative findings. Mean knowledge scores increased from 3.63 (SD 1.57) to 5.29 (SD 1.57) out of 8 (t(111) = -5.61, p < 0.001; d = 1.06). Because participant responses were not linked across assessment points, findings represent group-level improvements rather than within-individual change. The proportion classified as high knowledge-based competence increased from 24.6% to 64.3% (χ2(2) = 22.43, p < 0.001). Experience variables did not predict post-test scores. Qualitative findings showed that shortages of supplies/equipment, unreliable power, absent protocols, limited supervision and high workload restricted consistent implementation. These findings highlight that improvements in knowledge may not translate into consistent bedside practice without system-level support in resource-limited ICUs. A brief, context-specific training workshop significantly improved ICU nurses' knowledge-based competence in VAP prevention. However, systemic barriers-equipment shortages, absent protocols, limited supervision and workload pressures-constrain the translation of knowledge gains into consistent bedside practice. Sustainable improvement requires embedding education within broader quality improvement efforts. No patient or public contribution.

A decade of change: Comparative findings from the 2015, 2020, and 2025 APIC MegaSurveys on the infection prevention workforce.

Contamination characteristics and airflow regulated transport of microbial aerosols in a hospital respiratory ward.

Antibacterial immunity in teleost fish: Integrating innate and adaptive responses for sustainable aquaculture.

Transfer factor from REV-challenged chicken spleens enhances protection against reticuloendotheliosis virus infection in chicks.

Lauric Acid (LA) and Glycerol Monolaurate (GML) are naturally present in several plant-derived oils, particularly coconut and palm kernel oil. These compounds have been widely applied in swine production owing to their proven antiviral activity against Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV), Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea Virus (PEDV), and African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV). In this study, we investigated the potential of LA and GML as antiviral agents against Cyprinid herpesvirus 2 (CyHV-2), the causative agent of Herpesviral haematopoietic necrosis (HVHN), which poses significant challenges to China's freshwater aquaculture industry, particularly in crucian carp farming. Notably, no commercially available drugs or vaccines are currently approved for CyHV-2 infection. Our findings demonstrated that LA and GML significantly inhibit CyHV-2 replication and reduce viral infectivity. Further investigation into the antiviral mechanisms revealed that treatment with LA or GML disrupts the viral envelope structure, alters its physicochemical properties, and compromises virions' stability. Based on these results, we propose that LA and GML are promising natural antiviral agents for the control of CyHV-2 infection.

Infection Prevention and Control in the Intensive Care Unit.

To identify body temperature dynamic patterns and develop a machine learning model for the early detection of nosocomial infections. A retrospective and observational study of patients hospitalised in the haematology department of the Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital between January 2014 and December 2023. A latent class trajectory model was used to discover patterns in patients' body temperatures over time. Machine learning models were then built to predict nosocomial infections and evaluated using standard metrics (AUROC, sensitivity, specificity). SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) values were used to interpret the final model. Among 6989 patients, we identified four distinct body temperature trajectories. Bloodstream infections were most common in patients exhibiting either a slow rise followed by a gradual decrease or a rapid rise followed by a quick decrease in body temperature. The XGBoost model showed excellent predictive performance (AUROC = 0.801), with balanced sensitivity (0.718) and specificity (0.701). The top five predictors of nosocomial infections were elevated procalcitonin, neutropenia, prolonged central venous catheter use and two specific temperature trajectories: 'stable and relatively high' and 'a rapid rise followed by a quick decrease'. The XGBoost model effectively predicted nosocomial infections. Dynamic body temperature trajectories provided early, objective warning signs of infection. This predictive tool empowered nursing staff to proactively monitor nosocomial infection, allowing for timely, data-driven interventions in vulnerable hematologic patients. The developed machine learning predictive tool can help clinical medical staff identify nosocomial infections as early as possible, facilitate personalised rehabilitation and health management plans, aligning with the philosophy of patient-centred precision nursing. Further, the four body temperature trajectory patterns identified provide nurses with objective, dynamic indicators for recognising potential infection subphenotypes, supporting a shift from experience-driven reactive care towards data-driven proactive nursing. Previous studies suggested that body temperature could indicate the severity and prognosis of infections, but the pattern was unknown. In this study, we found that body temperature trajectories could signal infection subphenotypes, such as bloodstream infections being most common in patients with a slow rise followed by a gradual decrease in body temperature or with a rapid rise followed by a quick decrease. By integrating body temperature trajectories with key clinical biomarkers, the developed prediction model enables early and accurate identification of nosocomial infections in hematologic patients. The application of this tool may significantly shorten the time window between infection onset and intervention, potentially reducing infection-related complications, mortality and healthcare costs, thereby improving overall care quality and patient outcomes. The study adhered to the relevant EQUATOR reporting guidelines, the TRIPOD Checklist for Prediction Model Development and Validation. The research team included nursing staff and clinicians responsible for infection surveillance and control in the hospital, who contributed real-world insights into the definition of predictors, interpretation of temperature trajectories, clinical implications of the prediction model and preparation of the manuscript. Their expertise helped ensure that the study addressed relevant clinical questions and that the findings are interpretable and actionable in practice.

This narrative review aims to aggregate all reports of nosocomial transmission of rare yeast species, to provide an overview of global trends, causative species, clinical characteristics and preventive measures. A comprehensive literature search of multiple databases was conducted, to identify all reported nosocomial transmission events involving rare yeast species. The five most common yeasts, Candida albicans, Nakaseomyces glabratus, Candida parapsilosis, Candida tropicalis and Pichia kudriavzevii, in addition to Candida auris were excluded. A total of 76 reports were retrieved since 1984, caused by 28 different species. Wickerhamoyces anomalus was the most common agent, followed by Magnusiomyces, Trichosporon and species of the Candida haemulonii complex. Since the early 2000s, a clear increase was noted both in the number of outbreak reports and range of associated species, largely due to improved diagnostics. Most species were resistant to one or multiple antifungals and although environmental sampling was often performed, virtually all efforts yielded negative results. Once noted, strict hand hygiene practices and proper cleaning and disinfection of medical equipment has shown in curbing nosocomial spread. As hospital outbreak events are increasingly reported, accurate species identification and epidemiological surveillance should be in place for rapid detection. An enhanced focus on infection control measures was often sufficient to prevent new cases. Importantly, high-resolution genotyping is needed to confirm clonal transmission, which is often not conducted.

A self-assembling ferritin nanoparticle vaccine based on SpyTag/SpyCatcher elicits protective immunity against largemouth bass ranavirus.

Validation of ChatGPT-4o for detecting surgical site infections after colorectal surgery from electronic health records: A large-scale diagnostic accuracy study.

Peri-implantitis compromises soft and hard tissues around dental implants, often leading to implant failure. Antibacterial nanocoatings offer a promising infection control strategy, but maintaining biocompatibility is essential. This study investigated, through a range of assays and analytical techniques, the biocompatibility of antimicrobial silver and hydroxyapatite (HA) nanocoatings applied to titanium implants with human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs). Silver and hydroxyapatite nanocoatings were applied to the surface of titanium alloy specimens using electroplating, deposition and sintering techniques. The biocompatibility of the nanocoatings with HGFs was assessed by measuring cell metabolic activity (alamarBlue), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, collagen production (Sircol assay), and cell morphology (scanning electron microscopy). Nanocoating stability was tested in ultrapure water, Modified Krebs and artificial saliva. Elevated total Ag+ concentrations were measured in the media released from the silver and HA nanocoatings (1.78 mg/l on day 4 and 1 mg/l by day 7). Electrolytes remained within physiological ranges. The HGFs cultured on the nanocoatings showed normal morphology, intact membranes (LDH < 60 nmol/min/ml), healthy collagen secretion (27.18 - 31.11 µg/ml), and aerobic metabolism at 80% of controls, consistent with biocompatibility. The silver and HA nanocoatings confirmed a sustained Ag+ release, necessary for a strong antimicrobial activity, while maintaining HGFs health and cell functionality. Our previous work has confirmed the strong antimicrobial activity of these nanocoatings when applied to dental implants, and the findings of this study have demonstrated that the implant biocompatibility is not compromised. This suggests that these silver and HA nanocoatings can be safely used to minimise peri-implantitis and prevent implant failure.