Outbreak Investigation, Prevention, and Control in Health Care Settings: Critical Issues in Patient Safety

Kathleen Meehan Arias has worked in the infection prevention and control field since 1980 and is currently the director of Arias Infection Control Consulting, LLC. Kathy has a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Technology from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science (now the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia), a Master of Science Degree in Clinical Microbiology from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and is Certified in Infection Control (CIC) by the Certification Board of Infection Control. Kathy has managed the infection prevention and control programs in a variety of health care settings, including acute care, long-term care, ambulatory care, and behavioral health. She has taught epidemiology classes at Thomas Jefferson University and the Medical College of Philadelphia and has served on the faculties of Penn State University and Hahnemann University College of Allied Health Sciences. Kathy is an active member of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), serves on the faculty for several APIC courses, and was honored to serve as APIC President in 2006. Kathy has written and edited journal articles, books and book chapters on various infection prevention topics and is the author of a tool kit on surveillance programs in health care settings. She is a frequent speaker at local, national, and international conferences. Kathy first became interested in outbreaks and responding to emerging infectious diseases in 1976 when the hospital laboratory where she was working received specimens related to an atypical pneumonia that had developed in attendees of an American Legion conference held in a nearby hotel. The pneumonia was given the name "Legionnaire's disease" and was found to be caused by a previously unidentified bacterium subsequently named Legionella. In 2001 Kathy developed the bioterrorism response program in a large Baltimore hospital when anthrax spores were intentionally released less than 40 miles away. She also served on the Baltimore Mayor's Bioterrorism Response Task Force and worked with the local and state health departments and the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems to prepare a regional response plan for bioterrorism. Kathy has worked on several research grant teams to identify and implement effective means for disseminating critical information to health care providers who play an essential role in identifying and responding to infectious disease threats.