Infection Control Matters
Episodes
Why Healthcare Cleaning Is Different: Reflections from Interclean 2026
16 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, recorded live from Interclean in Amsterdam, Brett and Martin highlight the contibution of Clean Hospitals to healthcare hygiene and r...
Automated bloodstream infection surveillance - Measuring what matters?
01 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How well do we really measure bloodstream infections and could it be routinely automated? In this episode, Brett and Martin look at two papers on auto...
Surfaces - High touch or high risk?
18 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Martin and Brett talk about what is a high risk and what is a high touch surface. Are they the same? The discussion is based on the f...
Do we feel that we are experts? Take two
25 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Back in July 2022 when the world was opening up again Brett, Phil and Martin were all in Melbourne and met up for a chat. The topic was 'Are we expert...
Resourcing of hospital infection prevention and control programs
11 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this podcast, Phil and Brett speak with Dr Lyn-Li Lim from VICNISS (Victorian Healthcare Associated Infection Surveillance System)in Australia. Dr ...
Hospital or Crime Scene? What Forensic Science Reveals About “Clean”
28 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Martin Kiernan talks to Dr Sarah Fieldhouse, Associate Professor of Forensic Science and Dr Emmanuel Babafemi, Senior Lecturer in Bio...
AMR at a National level - The 2025 ESPAUR Report
14 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Martin talks to Dr Diane Ashiru-Oredope and colleagues at the UK Health Security Agency about the 2025 ESPAUR report, focusing on wh...
2025 Christmas Special
17 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is our traditional end of year Christmas special. In this episode we consider highlights from year and have a bit of fun - including a stakeout i...
Unseen Reservoirs, Unseen Risks: Integrating Wastewater Surveillance with Patient-Level Insights into C. auris Spread
10 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Martin talks to Dr Jon Otter, Director of Infection Prevention and Control at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital in London, UK. We examine...
Can ward rounds transform IPC education?
26 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Martin speaks with Helen Dunn, Consultant Nurse at Great Ormond Street Hospital, a Children's Hospital in London, UK. Helen is the le...
Reducing harm at the Front Line: Oral Care driving down C. difficile and Line Care - the Power of Better Data
12 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Martin spoke to the authors of two compelling posters showcased at the 2025 Infection Prevention Society Conference in Brighton, each...
Posters from the 2025 Innovation Academy at ICPIC and from the UK IPS Conference
29 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Brett and Martin discuss a few posters that interested them from recent major infection prevention conferences. Brett was at the ICP...
Infection Control Matters Live from the 2026 IPS Brighton Conference
15 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Martin Kiernan hosts a panel discussion at the 2026 Infection Prevention Society Conference in Brighton, United Kingdom. The Panel co...
Cutting CDC and IPC funding in the US - Implications and what can we do?
01 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this podcast, Brett and Phil have a chat with Professor David Weber on the sidelines of the ICPIC conference in Geneva. We chat about the funding ...
Safeguarding During Transit: RAF Expertise in High Consequence Infectious Disease Retrieval
18 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Martin talks to Squadron Leader Tez Cooling and Flight Lieutenant Emma Foley about their work in the Royal Air Force (RAF) retrieval s...
The no diaper (AKA nappy) zone - reducing CAUTI?
04 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this 2-segment episode, Brett, Phil and Martin firstly mull over a nurse-led, bottom up (pun intended) quality improvement project that aimed to re...
Can modelling tell us what factors influence CAUTI in long and short-term catheters?
21 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Brett, Phil and Martin discuss a recent paper from Freya Bull and colleagues, who undertook a modelling exercise to determine what fa...
Leading Public Health, ID and IPC during challenging times
06 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Martin Kiernan talks to Drs Priya Nori and Gonzalo Bearman. Priya is an Associate Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases) and Ort...
What's new in Surgical Site Infection Prevention? Update from EUCIC
24 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Martin Kiernan talks to Dr Gabriel Birgand, Clinical Co-ordinator of EUCIC (European Committee on Infection Control) which is part of...
Posters from the Hong Kong Infection Control Nurses Association conference
09 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Brett reviews a few posters from the Hong Kong Infection Control Nurses Association conference. Topics include fit testing, bloodst...
The Plume Room - adventures in toilet hygiene
25 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode recorded in an Irish Bar in Nelson (NZ), Brett and Martin dive headfirst into the swirling world of toilet aerosols, airborne pathogen...
Automated national HCAI surveillance - potential or pipedream?
11 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Brett, Phil and Martin discuss a recent paper from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) that examined the timeliness of data points ...
A re-introduction to Infection Control Matters 1500 days on
28 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we discuss the purpose of infection control matters and why we started the podcast. Recorded 1500 days after we started the podcast, ...
National vs local IPC Guidelines - Lost in Translation?
14 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we explore the crucial disconnect between national infection prevention and control (IPC) guidelines and the local policies implement...
Candidozyma auris from the lab to the front line: A discussion with UKHSA experts
30 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Martin talks to Dr Andy Borman, (Acting Head and Consultant Clinical Scientist, UKHSA National UK Mycology Reference Lab. also Hon Pro...
Use of AI to create a podcast discussion - are we out of a job?
16 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Infection Control Matters, we explore the potential of AI tools to support education and professional dialogue in infection prevent...
The Sinkbug Survey: Antibiotics, AMR, Chemicals and Plumbing
02 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Infection Control Matters, Martin Kiernan speaks with Dr. Nicole Stoesser about a large-scale, multi-centre study exploring the rol...
Surveillance for HCAI - What is important, feasible and useful - and what isn't..
19 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Brett and Martin chat with Dr. Jessica Schults and Dr. Sally Havers about a recent study published in the American Journal of Infecti...
nv-HAP surveillance too time-consuming? Semi-automated may be easier than you think
05 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Phil and Martin talk to Dr Aline Wolfensberger, Senior Attending Physician, Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiolo...
Methods of assessing effectiveness of hospital cleaning - a review and peek into the future?
19 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Martin Talks to Silvana Gastaldi who is a infection prevention and control health referent at UK-MED (a frontline humanitarian medical...
Reducing CAUTI in intermittent self-catheterisation. The trial that didn't make it..
05 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Phil Russo talks to Brett Mitchell and Kate Browne about a study that did not make it over the line. Following a systematic review in...
A poster walk at ACIPC 2024
22 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Brett and Phil chat about a few of the posters presented at the Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control 2024 Confere...
Engaging Junior Doctors in IPC
08 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode recorded at the 2024 Australasian College of Infection Prevention and Control (ACIPC) Conference in Melbourne, Brett and Phil talk to ...
The 2024 End of Year Special
19 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Brett, Phil and Martin reflect on the year. We chat about favourite podcasts, papers and conferences in our usual informal manner (we...
In-room air purification to prevent respiratory infection in aged care - Does it help?
04 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of ICMs we talk to the authors of a world first multi-centre double blind cross-over randomised control trial, which explored the effe...
Do you have enough staff in your IP Team? Calculating the staffing requirement for your program
20 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Martin talks to Dr Rebecca Crapanzano-Sigafoos (formerly Bartles) who is Executive Director, Center for Research, Practoce and Innova...
Could you have an ERCP-related outbreak? Sequencing to the rescue but you'll have to trash the scope!
08 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Martin talks to Cansu Cimen, a researcher at University Hospitals Groningen in the Netherlands, about a recent paper that documents a...
Reducing glove use in the ambulance service
23 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode recorded live at the IPS Conference in Birmingham UK in September 2024, Martin talks to Claire Fitzsimons, Senior Infection Prevention...
Can sensors and AI improve cleaning and patient safety?
09 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, recorded at the 2024 Infection Prevention Society Conference in Birmingham (UK) Brett and Martin talk to Conor McGinn, Assistant Prof...
Prevalence, fundamental care, UTI recorded live at the Infection Prevention Society Conference 2024
25 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In our second live session at a major conference, this episode of Infection Control Matters was recorded live at a plenary session to close day 1 of t...
Is IPC the friend of sustainability?
18 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Gemma L Saravanos (she/her) is an infectious diseases epidemiologist and a Registered Nurse leading public health research, and education of pre-re...
The CLEEN study: Background and discussion with the authors
04 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Our guest host, Dr Sally Havers this week talks to some of authors from ClEaning and Enhancd DisinfectioN (CLEEN) study (including some regular voices...
Removing contact precautions - what trial do we need?
29 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Brett and Martin discuss a recent paper from Sarah Browning and colleagues that describes how an RCT on the ending of aspects of cont...
Using AI in Infection Prevention: Opportunities and Dangers
07 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Martin Kiernan catches up with Dr Gonzalo Bearman, Professor of Internal Medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USA....
An award-winning MDT collaborative approach to reducing risks from water in a large organisation
24 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Martin Kiernan talks to representatives of the Multi-disciplinary Team at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust in the UK, Dr Jessica Ma...
Healthcare Cleaning - a visit to Interclean that's an eye-opener
10 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Brett and Martin report on a visit to the massive Interclean Expo held biannually in Amsterdam and the Healthcare Hygiene meeting. We...
A novel approach to employing environmental service workers and an outbreak (or pseudo-outbreak) of SSI
27 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Martin has been on the road again and talks to two poster presenters at the IPAC-Canada 2024 conference. In the first part, Martin ta...
More posters from ESCMID Global 2024, inc C. diff, UV-C, wastewater surveillance, LA-MRSA
12 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week we have a second batch of posters that we liked at ESCMID Global and will be talking about: VRE Surveillance using hospital waste water duri...
Posters from ESCMID Global 2024 - Part 1
29 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Brett, Phil and Martin tour the posters at ESCMID Global 2024 and we discuss some of them with the authors. A link to images of the po...
Reflections on Day 3 at ESCMID Global 2024
15 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It was day 3 at ESCMID Global 2024 and Phil, Brett and Martin mull over the day. Amongst the items we discuss are: What does endogenous really mean? A...
Reflections on day 2 of ESCMID Global 2024
09 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Phil, Brett and Martin dicuss more sessions from ESCMID Global (Barcelona, 2024). We talk about sessions on cleaning the occupied bed...
Discussing the new WHO infectious respiratory particles paper at ECCMID (With Prof Cath Noakes)
02 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Brett, Martin and Phil mull over the newly published WHO discussion document on respiratory particles and Martin catches up with Prof...
ECCMID 2024 - The year in infection control
29 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this podcast, Brett and Martin reflect on the "Infection Control Papers of the Year" presented at ECCMID (AKA ESCMID Global) 2024. Here are a selec...
Reflections on the first morning at ECCMID 2024
27 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In our first episode from ECCMID Global 2024, Martin and Brett reflect on the session on design of the healthcare environment sessions from Profs Hila...
Visualising infection transmission using genomics
03 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this podcast, we chat with Dr Brian Forde about HAIviz. HAIviz an interactive dashboard for visualising and integrating healthcare-associated genom...
Investigating a unique CPE strain outbreak - a possible new place to look?
20 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Martin Kiernan talks to Mitch Clarke, Clinical Lead and Deputy Director of Infection Prevention and Control at Nottingham University ...
C. difficile in England is on the rise, but why? A sign of a system on the edge and could a new variant push it over?
07 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Martin Talks to Dr Mark Wilcox OBE, Professor of Microbiology at the University of Leeds, Head of Microbiology Research & Develop...
What do C. difficile and HAP have in common - toilet plume??
21 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, after an interesting discovery when searching Youtube, Brett and Martin mull over whether toilet plume is a risk factor for hospital-...
A national CPE survey of healthcare workers knowledge and some interesting sink practices
07 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We chat with Dr Deirdre Fitzgerald-Hughes and Aoife Kearney about a national survey undertaken in Ireland. In the survey, they explored CPE knowledge ...
90% Reduction in MRSA bacteraemia. Possible but patience is a virtue!
24 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Martin Kiernan and Phil Russo talk to Professor Michael Borg of the Faculty of Medicine & Surgery in the Medical School at the Un...
C. difficile: Disinfectants, attachment and strain variations
10 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's episode, Martin talks to Dr Tina Joshi, Associate Professor of Molecular Microbiology in Peninsula Dental School at the University of P...
The 2023 End of Year/Christmas Special
21 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In our usual Christmas episode, Brett, Phil and Martin choose our papers and podcasts of 2023. Also this time, Martin set the three of us a challenge:...
If you could have anything in IPC, what would you want?
13 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's episode Phil and Brett mull over their wishlists for what they would want in a perfect IPC world. They turn out to be a pretty undemand...
Would you be admitted to a room where a previous person was infected?
29 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Brett and Martin discuss a paper they were recently involved with - a systematic review and meta-analysis on prior room occupancy and...
MDRO Plasmid-related outbreaks - is there anything we can do? With Jon Otter
15 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's episode, Martin talks to Dr Jon Otter, epidemiologist, scientst, blogger and Joint Director of Infection Prevention and Control at Guy'...
Ice machines - a chilling thought?
01 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Brett talks to Martin about a recent paper on the potential pitfalls of ice machines and following manufactures' instructions. The...
Detection of pathogens in the neonatal ICU environment with Dr Ginny Moore
18 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Martin talks to Dr Jinny Moore from the National Health Security Agency in England about detecting pathogens in the ICU environment. ...
Preventing device-associated infections during a COVID-19 pandemic
04 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Martin talks to Dr Jennifer Meddings, Associate Professor at University of Michigan Health and Internist at Ann Arbor about a recently publ...
Identifying healthcare cleaning research priorities in resource-limited settings
20 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Martin Kiernan talks to Dr Giorgia Gon, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine about a b...
Sinks in ICU Patient Rooms. Lower numbers of sinks equals lower infection rates?
06 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Martin talks to Giovanni-Battista Fucini about a recent paper from Germany that examined infection rates in critical care in which it...
Future directions for surveillance
23 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Martin chats to Phil in Melbourne following a recent presentation. Yes, two old farts reminiscing about the days of wearing out the boot leather colle...
C. difficile and One Health with Prof Tom Riley
09 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss One Health in this episode with Professor Tom Riley, using C.difficile as the example of explaining why the concept of One Health is so imp...
Saving time and increasing IPC efficiency using Robotic Process Automation
27 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Martin talks to Jincy Jerry, Assistant Director of Nursing in Infection Prevention and Control at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospit...
A CLEEN study chat and a rude interruption!
12 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this podcast, we talk about the CLEEN and I-CLEEN studies. These are a RCT and quasi-experimental genomics study aiming to determine the effect of ...
Surgical site infection, quality improvement and patient involvement with Sinéad Horgan
28 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Martin Kiernan talks to Sinèad Horgan, Director of Nursing South/South West Hospital Group, and School of Nursing and Midwifery, Col...
Implementation of HAP Prevention - not what you do but the way that you do it
14 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we discuss a paper in the Lancet Infectious Disease about preventing non-ventilator associate pneumonia including the determinants of...
Have gloves and gowns had their day?
31 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Brett Mitchell talks to Dr Sarah Browning and Professor Josh Davis about a recent paper in Infection, Disease and Health - "Have gloves and gowns had ...
Surveillance and Antimicrobial Stewardship in long-term care facilities
17 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Phil talks to A/Prof Noleen Bennett* about the state of surveillance and antimicrobial stewardship and what her research has discovere...
Outbreaks you didn’t know that you had - the joy of whole genome sequencing
04 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode recorded at the 2023 SHEA Spring Meeting in Seattle, Martin talks to Associate Professor Alex Sundermann about his work on sequencing ...
Staff opinions of automated hand hygiene monitoring
27 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this second discussion of an abstract presented at the SHEA Spring meeting 2023 in Seattle, Martin talks to MPH candidate Olivia Hess about her wor...
Human factors and cleaning in the perioperative setting
20 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode recorded at the 2023 SHEA Spring Meeting in Seattle, Martin talks to abstract presenter Dr Lamia Alam about the work of a Johns' Hopki...
The 100th
14 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This is the 100th episode of Infection Control Matters and includes a special announcement. A big thanks to our 110+ guests so far. In this podcast, M...
Right specimen, right time - The importance of diagnostic stewardship
06 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Martin Kiernan talks to Dr Valeria Fabre, Associate Professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Associ...
C. difficile - a constant challenge to stay still
28 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Brett and Martin talk to Mairéad Skally and Prof Fidelma Fitzpatrick about their efforts to minimise Clostridioides difficile infecti...
Detection, removal and prevention of environmental biofilms
23 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's episode, Martin talks to Professor Jean-Yves Maillard from the Cardiff School of Pharmacy in Wales. We discuss detention, removal and p...
The Sink Splash Zone - danger lies within?
15 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's episode, Brett and Martin talk to Dr Mark Garvey, Consultant Clinical Scientist at University Hospitals Birmingham in the UK. We discus...
Oral Hygiene - attitudes and practice. Implications for pneumonia prevention.
09 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We talk about the knowledge attitudes and practice of nurses regarding oral hygiene of dependent inpatients in this podcast with Dr Isabel Oliveira. U...
Intermittent or indwelling catheter in reducing CAUTI?
28 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Brett talks to Associate Professor Matthew Davis about his clinical experience and recent systematic review, exploring the topic of w...
Surgical site infection surveillance by patient-generated images
28 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this first episode of 2023, Martin talks to Melissa Rochon and Prof Judith Tanner about their recent paper in the Journal of Hospital Infection tha...
The 2022 Christmas Special
21 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the final podcast of the year, we reflect on some lighthearted moments from 2022 and share our thoughts on a few favourite papers, reflections and ...
Developing an optimal infection prevention service with Dr Emma Burnett
15 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's episode, Brett and Martin talk to Dr Emma Burnett, Head of Campus, Fatima College of Health Sciences, Ajman, UAE. We discuss a recent c...
Patients’ prespectives of Healthcare Infections with Prof Maria Northcote
08 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's episode Martin talks to Brett and Professor Maria Northcote about a recent paper on the expeciences of healthcare-associated infection ...
Mulling over priorities, RCTs at the ACIPC Conference
01 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's episode, Brett, Phil and Martin have a catch-up at the ACIPC conference in Sydney following Brett's session in which the audience were ...
Special episode for World Antimicrobial Awareness Week - the 2022 ESPAUR Report is published
21 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode for World Antimicrobial Awareness Week, Martin talks to UKHSA subject experts about the ESPAUR Report (English Surveillance Pr...
IPC Challenges in aged care and priorities in acute care discussion recorded live at the ACIPC Conference
15 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, recorded live on stage in front of an audience at the Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control (ACIPC) Conference be...
From Films to Biofilms with Annette Jeanes and Jean-Yves Maillard from the IPS Conference
09 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In another discussion recorded at the Infection Prevention Society Conference in Bournemouth (UK), Martin and Brett chatted to Dr Annette Jeanes and P...
It’s not what you say, it’s the way that you say it with Jon Otter (from the IPS Conference)
02 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode recorded at the Infection Prevention Society Conference in Bournemouth (UK), Martin talks to Dr Jon Otter (from Guy's and St Thomas' N...
Special from the IPS Conference - reducing C. difficile by better mouthcare and a general chat
27 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this first episode recorded at the Infection Prevention Society Conference (Bournemouth, UK) we talk to Dr Holly Slyne about how the Mouth Care Mat...
Transmission paradigms - the view from Engineers and Physicists with Profs Cath Noakes and Lidia Morawska
19 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Martin and Brett get views on contact/droplet/airborne transmission from an Engineer (Prof Cath Noakes) and a Physicist (Prof Lidia M...
New contact, droplet, airborne transmission paradigms for IPC sum-up
13 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this podcast, Phil, Martin and Brett try to summarise the key messages they heard from recent guests discussing contact, droplet and airbourne tran...