Laryngoscopes: Evaluation of microbial load of blades

American Journal of Infection Control
Ana Claudia Negri de SousaMaria Isabel Pedreira de Freitas

Abstract

Laryngoscope blades were analyzed, and the presence of blood, bodily fluids, and microorganisms was verified, indicating their potential as a source of cross contamination during clinical usage. The way in which the blades are cleaned and disinfected in daily practice may place the patient and health care team at risk. The aim of this study was to determine the bacterial and fungal load on this equipment. Descriptive cross-sectional study. A total of 83 laryngoscope blades, ready for use, were analyzed for their bacterial and fungal load at 2 university hospitals. The microbiologic analysis revealed the presence of microorganisms in 76.2% of cases at institution 1 and 92.7% of cases at institution 2, with microbial loads >10(1) colony forming units in 31.2% and 44.7% of cases, respectively. At both institutions, potentially pathogenic microorganisms were found, including Candida sp, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus agalactiae, extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae, multiresistant Acinetobacter baumannii, Pantoea sp, Enterobacter gergoviae, Escherichia coli, and Proteus mirabilis. These results indicate that the use of laryngoscope blades at these 2 institutions present a potent...Continue Reading

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Citations

Dec 12, 2018·Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology : the Official Journal of the Society of Hospital Epidemiologists of America·L Silvia Munoz-PriceDavid J Birnbach
Jun 28, 2019·AORN Journal·Sharon Ann Van Wicklin

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