6/15/2026 | 2:15 PM-2:44 PM
Reducing CRE Transmission Through Comprehensive Infection Control in Veterinary Hospitals
Session Description: This session presents a multi-year quality improvement initiative aimed at reducing the transmission of drug-resistant bacteria in a veterinary teaching hospital. The project focused on improving hand hygiene practices and environmental cleaning protocols to address rising rates of carbapenem-resistant bacterial infections in animal patients. Using a structured approach to implement and evaluate interventions, the hospital achieved significant improvements in hand hygiene compliance and a marked reduction in infection rates. The session will explore the strategies used, including staff education, leadership engagement, and environmental disinfection practices, and will highlight how these efforts align with broader public health goals. This topic is especially important as veterinary healthcare settings face increasing challenges related to antimicrobial resistance and the potential for transmission between animals and humans. The session is designed for infection prevention professionals, quality improvement leaders, and veterinary healthcare providers seeking practical, evidence-based strategies to enhance infection control in animal care and other hospital environments.
Regina Wagner
Infection Prevention Manager, University of Pennsylvania
Regina Wagner, JD, MSN, MHQS, RN, is the Infection Prevention Manager at the University of Pennsylvania’s Ryan Veterinary Hospital, where she leads initiatives to reduce healthcare-associated infections and combat antimicrobial resistance in veterinary settings. As co-founder of the APIC Veterinary Medicine IPC Council, she works to advance infection prevention standards in veterinary healthcare settings. With a background in both law and nursing, Regina brings a systems-level perspective to infection prevention. Her quality improvement efforts focus on hand hygiene, environmental cleaning, and antimicrobial stewardship, with a strong emphasis on protecting both animal patients and the human clinical teams who care for them. Regina’s work is grounded in the principles of One Health, a collaborative approach that recognizes the dynamic interconnection between the health of people, animals, and the environments they share. She champions scalable, evidence-based IPC strategies that are both equitable and tailored to the unique needs of veterinary medicine.