When Science, Systems, and Safety Collide: Top 5 ICT Interviews in 2025

In 2025, Infection Control Today continued to examine the forces reshaping infection prevention from diagnostic innovation and frontline clinical realities to leadership instability and workforce disruption. These articles spotlighted how early detection, interdisciplinary collaboration, and strong public health infrastructure directly influence patient safety. Together, they challenged infection preventionists to stay vigilant, informed, and engaged at a moment when science and systems are under increasing strain.

These articles resonated in 2025 because they highlighted where infection prevention meets reality: emerging diagnostics, fragile public health infrastructure, and the everyday clinical intersections where safety is won or lost.

From advances in multiplex testing for tick-borne diseases to frontline insights from emergency departments, these pieces emphasized early detection and situational awareness. Just as critically, they addressed system-level threats from leadership instability, federal workforce disruptions, and communication gaps that directly undermine infection prevention efforts. Together, they reinforced a core truth: effective infection prevention depends on strong science, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the courage to speak up when public health is at risk.

How Multiplex Testing Is Revolutionizing Tick-Borne Disease Detection: An Interview With Jason Barker, ND (Adobe Stock)

As tick-borne diseases such as Lyme, Babesia, and Anaplasma increase across the US, accurate early detection remains a critical challenge. Jason Barker, ND, clinical lab educator at Vibrant Wellness, explains how innovative multiplex testing is transforming diagnostics and improving outcomes for patients and providers alike.

Evidence, Trust, and Prevention: David J. Weber, MD, MPH, on CDC Leadership and Public Health

Without stable, science-driven leadership at the CDC, patient safety and public trust hang in the balance. Infection preventionists must demand accountability and champion evidence-based guidance now.

Bridging the Gap: Why OR Nurses Must Understand Sterile Processing to Boost Safety

Sterile processing expert Kevin Anderson urges perioperative nurses to deepen collaboration with SPD teams to enhance OR efficiency, reduce SSIs, and improve patient outcomes.

HHS Layoffs: ICT Chats With APIC 2025 President Carol McLay, DrPH, MPH, RN, CIC, FAPIC, FSHEA (Image courtesy of APIC)

Mass federal layoffs threaten infection prevention nationwide, with APIC president Carol McLay, DrPH, MPH, RN, CIC, FAPIC, FSHEA, warning of disrupted public health infrastructure, rising HAIs, and a diminished infection control workforce.

Tuberculosis and Beyond: What ER Physicians Are Seeing and Why Infection Preventionists Should Pay Attention

Staph infections, tuberculosis, and rising respiratory virus cases are keeping ERs busy. Here’s what infection preventionists should watch for this season—and why vigilance matters.

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