Infectious Disease
NNU advocates for nurses to have the education, training, and personal protective equipment they need to be prepared for the next pandemic and effectively perform day-to-day infection control. Infection prevention and control measures must be rooted in the precautionary principle and the most up-to-date science for known and emerging pathogens. Optimal protections are essential in building a safe care environment and in preventing infections among health care workers and patients alike.
Avian influenza
A highly pathogenic strain of bird flu has spread globally, causing unprecedented outbreaks in wild birds, poultry, and mammals. Multiple measures are urgently needed to control the spread of this virus.
C. auris
Candida auris (C. auris) is a type of yeast that is often resistant to antifungal medications and can spread among patients in health care facilities. C. auris was first identified in 2009 and has since emerged as a global health threat, due to its high rates of resistance to anti-fungal drugs and its ability to persist on skin and surfaces and cause a wide range of invasive infections.
Covid-19
View all our resources on Covid-19 and protecting nurses and other health care workers and their patients.
Ebola
Our successes include landmark mandatory Ebola guidelines in California and collective bargaining agreements with strong infectious disease protections.
Measles
Globally, measles cases rose 30-fold in 2023 compared to 2022. Learn about protections nurses and other health care workers need to care for a patient with suspected or confirmed measles.
Mpox
Learn about mpox, its symptoms, how it is transmitted, and what protections nurses and other health care workers need to care for a patient with a confirmed case.
Norovirus
Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes acute gastroenteritis. It is the leading cause of foodborne illness in the U.S. and worldwide, with 685 million cases globally each year. Norovirus is estimated to be responsible for approximately 200,000 deaths annually, with over 70,000 occurring among children in developing countries.
More on infectious disease
Updates on the CDC Advisory Committee’s efforts to weaken infection control guidance for health care.