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70% Alcohol Disinfection of Transducer Heads: Experimental Trials

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

George H. Talbot*
Affiliation:
Infectious Diseases Section, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and the Infection Control Section, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Maureen Skros
Affiliation:
Infectious Diseases Section, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and the Infection Control Section, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Mary Provencher
Affiliation:
Infectious Diseases Section, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and the Infection Control Section, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
*
Infection Control Section, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104

Abstract

We investigated the feasibility of transducer head disinfection with 70% alcohol wipes. In the initial trial, nine gas-sterilized transducers were inoculated with an estimated 5 × 106 organisms of a clinical isolate of Enterobacter cloacae, mimicking a contaminated fluid couple. A sterile disposable transducer dome was attached to each transducer. The units were allowed to sit for 24 hours at room temperature; the domes were then removed. Three transducer heads were cultured prior to disinfection to ensure that viable organisms remained. Each transducer head was wiped clean with a single alcohol wipe, allowed to dry, and then cultured. All nine cultures showed growth of E. cloacae. A second series of trials with 54 transducers employed an identical protocol, except that each transducer head received not one, but two, applications of alcohol. In addition to E. cloacae (26 runs), Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans were employed in nine, nine and ten runs, respectively. Cultures of 53 of 54 transducer heads showed no growth; the single positive culture was attributed to an error in technique. These preliminary results suggest that the double-alcohol-wipe technique may be an easy, cost-effective, alternative or supplemental method of transducer head disinfection. However, we do not advocate routine implementation of this technique in patient care settings until clinical trials confirm its safety and efficacy.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 1985

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