Ever wondered how antimicrobial resistance spreads – and why it changes the way we approach infection prevention?
Join the IPS Early Career Network for an engaging session exploring the science behind antimicrobial resistance and what it means for IPC practice with Jose Perez de la Cruz, Education Officer Lead, IPS and Clinical Trainer and Critical Care Scientist Co-ordinator, IPS Ambulance and Prehospital Care Special Interest Group.
We’ll take a closer look at:
🧬 How resistance spreads – build your understanding of how organisms acquire and share resistance through horizontal gene transfer, and how this differs from resistance caused by mutations
🦠 CPE in focus – use carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) as a real-world example to explore how resistance genes can move between organisms
🛡️ From science to practice – discover why CPE requires specific infection prevention and control precautions, and how understanding the science can help inform your practice
Whether you’re new to IPC or developing your experience, this session will help you connect the microbiology to the practical IPC decisions you encounter in your career.
Come along, build your knowledge, and leave with a better understanding of the fascinating link between antimicrobial resistance and infection prevention.
Aim
To provide a foundational understanding of how microorganisms acquire and transfer antimicrobial resistance, using carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) as a real-world example.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the session, Early Career Network members will:
Understand the basics of antimicrobial resistance, including how resistance can arise through mutations and how it can be acquired and transferred through horizontal gene transfer.
Explore CPE and its resistance mechanisms, using CPE to understand how resistance genes can spread between microorganisms.
Connect microbiology to IPC practice by exploring the management of CPE in the hospital environment and understanding why specific infection prevention and control measures are required.
Apply their learning to practice, developing a clearer understanding of how knowledge of antimicrobial resistance can inform everyday IPC decision-making.
Connect. Grow. Be heard. Shape the future of IPC.
The IPS Early Career Network brings together people starting out in infection prevention and control to build connections, develop their careers and have a voice in the future of the profession.