IPC Partners

Candida auris: The Infection Control Challenges in Kuwait — Insight Webinar (January 7, 2026) Hosted by IPC Partners, Healthcare Infection Society (HIS) and the Infection Prevention Society (IPS) Candidozyma auris (C. auris), previously known as Candida auris, continues to pose one of the most urgent global infection control challenges. In this Insight Webinar, we explore the emerging epidemiology, rising burden and innovative control strategies from Kuwait — a country experiencing a rapid increase in C. auris bloodstream infections. 🎙 Speaker: Dr. Areej Y. Alali, Head of Surveillance, Infection Control Directorate, Kuwait Ministry of Health, PhD in Epidemiology & Public Health (UCL, UK) Convenors: Dr. Jon Otter & Dr Phil Norville. 📌 Session Overview In this webinar, Dr. Alali presents Kuwait’s national experience with Candida auris—from its alarming rise in candidemia cases to implementing a country‑wide response across 12 adult medical‑surgical ICUs. Topics covered include: - The increasing burden of C. auris in ICUs across Kuwait - Epidemiological trends from 2016–2024 - Challenges in identification, colonisation, resistance and environmental contamination - The shift from traditional IPC approaches to more aggressive, targeted measures - Screening strategies (culture vs PCR), body sites and silent carriers - Environmental cleaning and disinfection: chlorine vs peracetic acid wipes - CHG (chlorhexidine) bathing: technique, dilution errors, compliance and impact - Dramatic reduction in C. auris acquisition and candidemia in 2025 - Behavioural change, accountability and continuous monitoring 🔍 Key Takeaways - C. auris has become the leading cause of CLABSI in Kuwaiti ICUs, accounting for a third of cases. - Standard IPC bundles are insufficient for yeast transmission — adaptation is essential. - CHG decolonisation, when performed correctly, emerged as a critical component of reduction. - Rapid diagnostics and consistent screening help identify silent carriers early. Improved environmental cleaning with practical high‑level disinfectant wipes reduces contamination. - Real‑time data sharing and bedside coaching were vital for changing human behaviour. 📚 About This Webinar Series This is the first in a series of 11 IPC Insight Webinars running throughout 2026. All sessions are CPD‑accredited by the Royal College of Pathologists and aim to provide concise expert overviews, stimulate discussion and build a global community of infection prevention enthusiasts. You can see the programme of webinars and their Journal Club cousins here: https://ipcpartners.org/learn-with-us/

Dr Areej Al-Ali previews her C. auris Insight Webinar with Dr Jon Otter. Register here: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/573dec59-e333-4574-96eb-f1428a9e1d49@880e1cf6-0e66-4ce3-9534-eadf2d5ded15

✨ IPC Partners Journal Club — Economic Evaluation of Enhanced Cleaning & Disinfection (CLEAN Study) | Dec 2025 Welcome to the final IPC Partners Journal Club of 2025! In this session, Dr. Jon Otter and Phil Norville dive deep into one of the most important papers of the year: an economic evaluation of enhanced cleaning and disinfection of shared medical equipment, building on the landmark CLEAN study from Australia. 🔍 What’s Inside This Episode In this insightful discussion, Jon breaks down: - The original CLEAN cluster RCT and its 34% reduction in healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs). - How enhanced daily cleaning of shared medical equipment impacts infection risk. - Why cleaning and disinfection have some of the strongest evidence among IPC interventions A full walkthrough of the economic evaluation, including: - Cost savings vs usual care. - Monte Carlo modelling and cost‑effectiveness probabilities (a bit complicated but stick with us!). - Scenario testing (including biodegradable wipes and reduced intervention effectiveness). Phil and Jon also reflect on their favourite Journal Clubs of the year, discuss behaviour change, environmental hygiene, and answer audience Q&A on: - Which part of a cleaning bundle truly drives impact. - How to balance more frequent cleaning with equipment degradation concerns. - Whether clinical staff or dedicated roles should own shared equipment disinfection. - The importance of auditing, compliance, and real‑world implementation challenges. - Why HCAI-associated bed days may be more persuasive than cost estimates in board‑level conversations. 💡 Why This Matters This episode highlights compelling evidence that improved cleaning and disinfection of shared medical equipment is: - Clinically impactful - Cost-effective and probably cost-saving - Highly relevant for IPC teams planning their 2026 priorities It also opens an important discussion on implementation, staffing models, materials compatibility, and how to embed shared equipment disinfection into routine practice. 📺 More from IPC Partners - All IPC Partners Journal Clubs and Insight Webinars are available on our channel. - Explore past sessions and stay tuned for our new 2026 programme, including CPD‑accredited webinars in partnership with the Infection Prevention Society (IPS) and Healthcare Infection Society (HIS). 🎄 Thank You for 2025! A huge thank you to everyone who joined us throughout the year. Wishing you a happy festive season — see you in 2026!