ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Different manufacturers recommend different levels of disinfection for oxygen nipple and nut adaptors, also known as Christmas-tree adaptors (CTAs). We aimed to determine the bacterial contamination rates of CTAs before and after clinical use and whether disinfection wipes effectively eliminate bacteria from CTAs. METHODS: CTAs were swabbed for bacteria directly from the shipment box or after use in a medical intensive care unit to determine levels of contamination. CTAs were also inoculated in the laboratory with a variety of bacteria and disinfected with either 0.5% hydrogen peroxide (Oxivir 1) or 0.25% tetra-ammonium chloride with 44.50% isopropyl alcohol (Super Sani-Cloth), and the effectiveness of each wipe was determined by comparing the bacterial recovery before and after disinfection. RESULTS: CTAs exhibit low levels of bacterial burden before and after clinical use. Both disinfecting wipes were effective at removing bacteria from the CTAs. CONCLUSIONS: Low-level disinfection of CTAs is appropriate prior to redeployment in the clinical setting.
Subject(s)
Decontamination/methods , Disinfectants/pharmacology , Equipment and Supplies/microbiology , Bacteria/drug effects , Disposable Equipment , Equipment Contamination/prevention & control , Humans , OxygenABSTRACT
The quality of daily cleaning was assessed comparing a standard bleach product with the bleach product containing a novel colorant additive in an inpatient setting. Effectiveness was assessed using fluorescent markings and microbiological analysis of environmental and experimental specimens. Our findings showed no significant difference in cleaning between these groups.
