Michelle J Alfa1, Harminder Singh2, Donald R Duerksen2, Gale Schultz3, Carol Reidy4, Pat DeGagne5, Nancy Olson5. 1. St Boniface Research Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Electronic address: malfa@sbrc.ca. 2. Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. 3. Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. 4. St Boniface Hospital, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. 5. St Boniface Research Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Some outbreaks associated with contaminated duodenoscopes have been attributed to biofilm formation. The objective of this study was to determine whether bacteria within an organic matrix could survive if the elevator lever was improperly positioned in the automated endoscope reprocessor (AER) after 1 round of reprocessing. METHODS: Duodenoscope lever cavities with an open or sealed elevator wire channel were inoculated with 6-7 Log10 of both Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis in ATS2015 (Healthmark Industries, Fraser, MI) and dried for 2 hours. The duodenoscopes with the lever in the horizontal position were processed through 2 makes of AERs. The cavity was sampled using a flush-brush-flush method to determine the quantity of surviving bacteria. RESULTS: E faecalis (range, 21-6 Log10 CFU) and E coli (range, 0-3 Log10 CFU) survived disinfection of sealed or unsealed elevator wire channel duodenoscopes in 2 different AERs with and without cleaning cycles. CONCLUSION: If bacteria in organic residue are under the improperly positioned lever, then just 1 round of use is sufficient for bacteria to survive both liquid chemical sterilization and liquid chemical HLD regardless of whether or not the AER had a cleaning cycle.
BACKGROUND: Some outbreaks associated with contaminated duodenoscopes have been attributed to biofilm formation. The objective of this study was to determine whether bacteria within an organic matrix could survive if the elevator lever was improperly positioned in the automated endoscope reprocessor (AER) after 1 round of reprocessing. METHODS: Duodenoscope lever cavities with an open or sealed elevator wire channel were inoculated with 6-7 Log10 of both Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis in ATS2015 (Healthmark Industries, Fraser, MI) and dried for 2 hours. The duodenoscopes with the lever in the horizontal position were processed through 2 makes of AERs. The cavity was sampled using a flush-brush-flush method to determine the quantity of surviving bacteria. RESULTS: E faecalis (range, 21-6 Log10 CFU) and E coli (range, 0-3 Log10 CFU) survived disinfection of sealed or unsealed elevator wire channel duodenoscopes in 2 different AERs with and without cleaning cycles. CONCLUSION: If bacteria in organic residue are under the improperly positioned lever, then just 1 round of use is sufficient for bacteria to survive both liquid chemical sterilization and liquid chemical HLD regardless of whether or not the AER had a cleaning cycle.
Authors: Michelle J Alfa; Harminder Singh; Zoann Nugent; Donald Duerksen; Gale Schultz; Carol Reidy; Patricia DeGagne; Nancy Olson Journal: Front Med (Lausanne) Date: 2017-11-07
Authors: Gheorghe G Balan; Irina Rosca; Elena-Laura Ursu; Adrian Fifere; Cristian-Dragos Varganici; Florica Doroftei; Ioana-Andreea Turin-Moleavin; Vasile Sandru; Gabriel Constantinescu; Daniel Timofte; Gabriela Stefanescu; Anca Trifan; Catalin Victor Sfarti Journal: Molecules Date: 2019-06-25 Impact factor: 4.411
Authors: Maarten Heuvelmans; Herman F Wunderink; Henny C van der Mei; Jan F Monkelbaan Journal: Antimicrob Resist Infect Control Date: 2021-12-23 Impact factor: 4.887