ABSTRACT
In dental radiography, there are specific potentials to transmit infection. The goal of this research was to investigate radiographic films and tubes microbiologically in private and pudic dental radiographic centres in the city of Yazd. In this cross-sectional descriptive study [2001], all 13 public and private centres with totally 21 dental radiography machines were investigated. First, sample was collected from different areas of radiography tubes and films' covers by a sterile wetswap. All samples were kept in Tayoglycolate culture media and then put in 37°C incubator in microbiology laboratory. The cloudiness was checked every 24 hours. Data were analyzed using Extended Fisher test. In samples collected from public radiography centres, microbial infections with pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Aspergillus niger and alkagenous were detected probably resulted from hospital infections and healthy carries among hospital personnel. In private centres infections with microbes such as Neisseria sicca, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Bacillus subtilis were detected, a probable consequence of normal flora in the environment. Films' covers in public centres were infected with Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus hemolyticus, Neisseriasicca and Staphylococcus epidermidis probably due to contact with healthy carriers. The methods applied in Yazd radiographic centres, especially the public ones, are completely different from the standards recommended by ADA and CDC. Therefore, our society is definitely exposed to cross-sectional infections along radiographic clinics