A rapid method of disinfecting the bronchofiberscope.

A method of disinfecting the bronchofiberscope that requires 5 minutes was tested against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia marcescens, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, influenza virus, and rhinovirus. The bronchofiberscope was contaminated with either sputum or mucin containing the microorganism. Disinfection was performed by washing the inner channel and the outer sheath with a hexachlorophene detergent followed by a solution containing povidone-iodine, ethanol, and water. A total of 76 specimens was tested; all postdisinfection cultures were sterile with the exception of one containing less than 102 colonies per ml of S. aureus.