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Permeability of the Thermometer Sheath When Taking Oral Temperatures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Donald J. Soltero ,
Earl E. Sommers  and
Edmond L. Truelove
Donald J. Soltero*
Affiliation:
Department of Oral Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
Earl E. Sommers
Affiliation:
Department of Oral Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
Edmond L. Truelove
Affiliation:
Department of Oral Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
*
Department of Oral Medicine, SC-63, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195
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Abstract

Oral mercury-in-glass thermometers are contaminated with each use and must be decontaminated prior to reuse. It has been shown that the application of a thermometer sheath prevents contamination of the rectal thermometer. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate sheathed thermometers for contamination after oral use on dentulous patients. One hundred sterile sheathed thermometers were distributed into four groups and subjected to in vitro and in vivo conditions.

After clinical use 80% of the sheathed thermometers became contaminated, while not one of those exposed to microorganisms in vitro was contaminated. The cause for contamination was shown to be perforation of the sheath by the dentition. Thus the thermometer sheath is ineffective in preventing contamination of the mercury-in-glass thermometer when used for obtaining oral temperatures from dentulous patients. Sheathed mercury-in-glass thermometers should be decontaminated after each oral use.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 5 , Issue 9 , September 1984 , pp. 435 - 437
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 1984

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