Dr David Weber1
1UNC School of Health
Biography:
Dr. David Jay Weber is currently a Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Pediatrics and Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. He is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Infectious Disease, Critical Care Medicine, and Preventive Medicine. Dr. Weber serves as Associate Chief Medical Office and Medical Director of Infection Prevention for UNC Hospitals. He is currently the President, Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. Dr. Weber has published >590 scientific papers cited in PubMed. Dr. Weber is a Board member, Clean Hospitals, Geneva. His major research interests include healthcare-associated infections, disinfection and sterilization, emerging infectious diseases, biothreats, and vaccinology.
Abstract:
This concise lecture will discuss Innovation in Infection Prevention and Control (IPC). A brief history of IPC will be presented. Current challenges in IPC include emerging pathogens (e.g., C. auris, CRE, new variants of COVID-19, Mpox) and high consequence pathogens (e.g., Ebola, Marburg, Lassa), and an aging population. Advances in IPC include the following: 1) a new paradigm for the structure/personnel in an IPC department; 2) use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve IPC (e.g., improved surveillance); 3) expanded surveillance (e.g., non-device-related infections, including patient level risk factors); 4) incorporation of implementation sciences and personnel in IPC departments; 5) diagnostic stewardship; 6) use of molecular techniques (e.g., WGS) for detection and control of outbreaks; 6) rapid non-culture based methods for pathogen detection; and 7) new technologies (e.g., minimally invasive surgery, “no touch” disinfection).