Virginia Infection Prevention & Control Training Alliance (VIPTA)

VIPTA is a statewide infection prevention and control education collaborative, led by the Virginia Healthcare-Associated Infections Advisory Group.  Through partnership, VIPTA curates IPC resources for Virginia’s healthcare, congregate care, and public health settings.

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Is it Really a Penicillin Allergy?

Did you know that 10% of U.S. patients report a penicillin allergy, but fewer than 1% are actually allergic? Taking the time to clarify whether a penicillin allergy is real or not can make a big difference in patient care. As we approach U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week (USAAW), November 18-24, it’s the perfect opportunity to confirm if that reported allergy is accurate.

By doing so, healthcare providers can help reduce the unnecessary use of broad-spectrum antibiotics—lowering healthcare costs and decreasing the risk of antimicrobial resistance. A simple conversation or assessment can go a long way!

Ready to take action? Here are some helpful resources to get started:

  • Penicillin Allergy Education: The CDC’s flyer “Is it Really a Penicillin Allergy?” provides key insights for healthcare professionals on the importance of evaluating reported penicillin allergies.
  • Allergy Assessment Tool: The AHRQ tool helps clinicians safely evaluate reported penicillin allergies, supporting accurate diagnosis and improved patient care.
  • CDC Toolkit for USAAW: Use the toolkit and daily themes to inspire your activities throughout Antibiotic Awareness Week.

Target Audience: Intermediate IPC education level

Guidance & Regulation Updates

VIPTA members track guidance and regulation resources to share source documents that guide infection prevention and control practices for public health staff and clinical and non-clinical healthcare personnel.

The date of the regulation or guidance update is included in each post.  Please check linked content to be sure it is the most up to date and recommended practice.

Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) November Public Meeting Recap (11/14/24)
CDC
Any Practice Setting
Transmission-Based Precautions
During the November meeting, the workgroup presented responses to the committee for the draft Guidelines for Isolation Precautions and Infection Control in Healthcare Personnel. HICPAC voted and approved the responses.
Interim Guidance for Employers to Reduce Exposure to Novel Influenza A (Such as H5N1 Bird Flu) for People Working with or Exposed to Animals (11/12/2024)
CDC
Acute Care Hospital
Ambulatory (Outpatient) Care
Department of Health
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Transmission-Based Precautions
This updated interim guidance identifies work tasks that may pose an increased risk of worker exposure to novel influenza A viruses associated with disease in humans and provides recommended controls for each level. Specific recommendations for these work tasks may be updated as CDC learns more during this evolving situation.
2023 National and State Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) Progress Report
CDC
Acute Care Hospital
Department of Health
Data Analysis
Surveillance
The 2023 National and State Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) Progress Report provides a summary of national and state level data for select HAIs across four healthcare settings: acute care hospitals (ACHs), critical access hospitals (CAHs), inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) and long-term acute care hospitals (LTACHs). In acute care hospitals, standardized infection ratios (SIRs) showed statistically significant improvement in 2023 compared to 2022 for all HAIs except surgical site infections.
Increase in Pneumonia and Pertussis Infections
VDH
Acute Care Hospital
Ambulatory (Outpatient) Care
Department of Health
Mobile Clinic
Pediatric / NICU
Laboratory Collection and Interpretation
Surveillance
Vaccination
Updates on the increases in pneumonia and pertussis in Virginia along with diagnosis, testing, treatment, and infection prevention and control recommendations.
First Case of Clade I Mpox Diagnosed in the United States
CDC
Acute Care Hospital
Ambulatory (Outpatient) Care
Department of Health
Emergency Preparedness & Operations
Laboratory Collection and Interpretation
Surveillance
Transmission-Based Precautions
Vaccination
A Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to provide information about the first case of clade I mpox diagnosed in the United States and recommendations to clinicians about preventing, diagnosing, treating, and reporting mpox cases.

VDH Infection Prevention Education in the Northwest Region

Kayleigh Rehkopf, VDH’s Northwest Regional Infection Preventionist, would like to highlight three VDH staff in the Northwest region (Stephanie Neal, Candace Ashworth, and Brad Evert) for their outstanding work in infection prevention and control (IPC) education!

Stephanie is the Junior District Epidemiologist for Lord Fairfax Health District, and she has been working on preparing and disseminating IPC education for nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and schools. Brad and Candace, part of the Regional Containment Team, eagerly jumped in to help with the education and went outside their normal scope of work to be a part of this important initiative.  They did a great job familiarizing themselves with the education and making connections in the community to deliver the content effectively. Having them on the team really helped to make this education effort a success.

Thank you, Stephanie, Candace, and Brad, for all that you do to keep our community safe and healthy!

IPC Education & Training Library

Search the VIPTA library of curated infection prevention and control (IPC) education and training resources. The IPC Education & Training Resource Library includes state and national resources related to healthcare-associated infections, antimicrobial resistance and/or IPC. Visit the VIPTA FAQ page to learn more about VIPTA library content.

 

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Last Updated: February 14, 2024