İlker Devrim1, Nevbahar Demiray2, Yeliz Oruç2, Kenan Sipahi2, İlknur Çağlar1, Ferhat Sarı3, Nuriye Turgut3, Gülhan Atakul3, Nihal Özdamar3, Vecihe Dursun4, Yelda Sorguç4, Nuri Bayram1, Hasan Agın3. 1. Department of Pediatric Infectious Disease, Dr. Behçet Uz Child Disease and Pediatric Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey. 2. Infection Control Committee, Dr. Behçet Uz Child Disease and Pediatric Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey. 3. Department of Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Dr. Behçet Uz Child Disease and Pediatric Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey. 4. Department of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology, Dr. Behçet Uz Child Disease and Pediatric Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The optimal scrubbing time for the disinfection of the surface of needleless connectors has not been determined. The evidence for successful needleless connector decontamination with 70% isopropyl alcohol ranges from 5 to 60 s. The aim of this prospective study was to identify colonization on the external surface of needleless connectors on central venous catheters and measure the efficiency of 15 s of scrubbing with 70% alcohol. METHOD: A total of 31 patients were included. Samples were collected adhering to aseptic no-touch technique policies. Two samples were collected from the injectable surface of the needleless connector with sterile sodium chloride 0.9% moistened and a dry swab from the same site. Then the surface was scrubbed with alcohol 70% for 15 s for disinfection and second couples of samples for the cultures were taken after disinfection. FINDINGS: A total of 420 swabs were obtained. The number of colonization (equal or higher than 15 CFU/plate) was present on 21 of the needleless connectors (20.0%). Coagulase-negative staphylococci was responsible for all the colonization. After disinfection for 15 s, no isolation exceeding 1 CFU/plate was present. CONCLUSION: Scrubbing for 15 s with 70% alcohol was found to be successful at elimination of colonization of the surface of needleless connector even in high microorganism counts.
PURPOSE: The optimal scrubbing time for the disinfection of the surface of needleless connectors has not been determined. The evidence for successful needleless connector decontamination with 70% isopropyl alcohol ranges from 5 to 60 s. The aim of this prospective study was to identify colonization on the external surface of needleless connectors on central venous catheters and measure the efficiency of 15 s of scrubbing with 70% alcohol. METHOD: A total of 31 patients were included. Samples were collected adhering to aseptic no-touch technique policies. Two samples were collected from the injectable surface of the needleless connector with sterile sodium chloride 0.9% moistened and a dry swab from the same site. Then the surface was scrubbed with alcohol 70% for 15 s for disinfection and second couples of samples for the cultures were taken after disinfection. FINDINGS: A total of 420 swabs were obtained. The number of colonization (equal or higher than 15 CFU/plate) was present on 21 of the needleless connectors (20.0%). Coagulase-negative staphylococci was responsible for all the colonization. After disinfection for 15 s, no isolation exceeding 1 CFU/plate was present. CONCLUSION: Scrubbing for 15 s with 70% alcohol was found to be successful at elimination of colonization of the surface of needleless connector even in high microorganism counts.
Entities:
Keywords:
The colonization; disinfection; needleless connector; pediatric intensive care unit