SARS-CoV-2 Surveillance Testing and Isolation Management of Immunocompromised Patients - Survey Results from 13 Healthcare Centers in the United States.

As a newly emerging pathogen, infection prevention and isolation management response for SARS-CoV-2 varied greatly by individual healthcare center. Specific patient population needs, especially those of severely immunocompromised oncologic patients, potentially intensified the response.1, 2, 3 A survey was distributed to academic health care centers to ascertain surveillance testing frequency, patient placement, and isolation management for patients undergoing cell therapy treatments.

Recommendations from the association for professionals in infection control and epidemiology health inequalities & disparities task force.

In June 2021, a task force commissioned by the Board of Directors of the Association for Professionals in Infection Prevention and Epidemiology (APIC) evaluated the landscape of health inequity and health disparities as they apply to infection prevention in health care settings. This task force, consisting of infection preventionists across the country, convened to evaluate current literature, identify relevant issues and make recommendations to the APIC Board of Directors for action steps to be taken.

Risk of Healthcare-Associated Transmission of Sever Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Hospitalized Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: There is limited information on the risk of hospital-acquired coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among high-risk hospitalized patients after exposure to an infected patient or healthcare worker (HCW) in a nonoutbreak setting. METHODS: This study was conducted at a tertiary care cancer center in New York City from 10 March 2020 until 28 February 2021. In early April 2020, the study institution implemented universal severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) testing at admission and retesting every 3 days through the hospital stay. Contact tracing records were reviewed for all exposures to SARS-CoV-2 positive patients and HCWs. RESULTS: From 10 March 2020 to 28 February 2021, 11 348 unique patients who were SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) negative at the time of admission underwent 31 662 postadmission tests during their hospitalization, and 112 tested positive (0.98%). Among these, 49 patients housed in semiprivate rooms during admission resulted in 74 close contacts and 14 secondary infections within 14 days, for an overall attack rate of 18.9%. Among those exposed to a roommate undergoing an aerosol-generating procedure (AGP), the attack rate was 35.7%. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) corroborated transmission in 6/8 evaluated pairs. In addition, three transmission events occurred in 214 patients with significant exposure to 105 COVID-19 positive healthcare workers (1.4%). CONCLUSIONS: The overall risk of hospital-acquired COVID-19 is low for hospitalized cancer patients, even during periods of high community prevalence. However, shared occupancy with an unrecognized case is associated with a high secondary attack rate in exposed roommates.

APIC professional and practice standards.

Professional and practice standards for IPs have existed since 2008. The expanding, evolving, and increasingly critical role of the profession demanded they be updated. The standards emphasize flexibility and applicability across a multitude of domains and settings and provide the profession with a rigorous, well-defined set of expectations, competencies, and practices. The result is a succinct set of precepts that encapsulates the field of IPC in the present and foreseeable future.