Stethoscope hygiene: A call to action. Recommendations to update the CDC guidelines.

Healthcare-acquired infections are a tremendous challenge to the US medical system. Stethoscopes touch many patients, but current guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not support disinfection between each patient. Stethoscopes are rarely disinfected between patients by healthcare providers. When cultured, even after disinfection, stethoscopes have high rates of pathogen contamination, identical to that of unwashed hands. The consequence of these practices may bode poorly in the coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Alternatively, the CDC recommends the use of disposable stethoscopes. However, these instruments have poor acoustic properties, and misdiagnoses have been documented. They may also serve as pathogen vectors among staff sharing them. Disposable aseptic stethoscope diaphragm barriers can provide increased safety without sacrificing stethoscope function. We recommend that the CDC consider the research regarding stethoscope hygiene and effective solutions to contemporize this guidance and elevate stethoscope hygiene to that of the hands, by requiring stethoscope disinfection or change of disposable barrier between every patient encounter.

Contaminación bacteriana en estetoscopios de las unidades de cuidados intensivos pediátricos: Hospital Central de San Cristóbal 2012 / Bacterial contamination of stethoscopes in pediatric intensive care units: Hospital Central de San Cristóbal 2012

Las infecciones adquiridas durante los cuidados de la salud (IACS), es un problema importante en Salud Pública. El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo determinar el porcentaje de estetoscopios contaminados con bacterias potencialmente productoras de IACS en las áreas de cuidados intensivos de pediatría y adultos. Se realizó un estudio clínico prospectivo transversal comparativo en la Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos pediátrico, neonatal y adulto del Hospital Central de San Cristóbal. Se tomaron cultivos a 37 instrumentos de los cuales 17 eran estetoscopios (52,9%). Nueve correspondieron a Pediatría y 8 al área de adulto. El tipo de personal que los utiliza representó un riego mayor de contaminación. De los estetoscopios con cultivos positivos el 85,6% venían de pediatría y el 36,4% de adultos; con una Odds ratio de 14.0. Conclusión: Los estetoscopios son una fuente de contaminación bacteriana siendo el área pediátrica un factor de riesgo elevado para su contaminación

Infections acquired during the (IACS) health care, is an important public health problem. This study aims to determine the percentage of stethoscopes contaminated with potentially producing bacteria of IACS in the areas of Pediatric and adult intensive care. A comparative study was conducted clinical prospective cross in the intensive care units paediatric, neonatal and adult of the Central Hospital of San Cristóbal. Cultures were taken at 37 instruments of which 17 (52,9%) were stethoscopes (9 corresponded to Pediatrics and 8 to the adult area). The type of personnel using it represented one major contamination risk. The stethoscopes with positive cultures the 85.6% came from Pediatrics and adults 36.4; with an Odds ratio of 14.0. Conclusion: Stethoscopes are a source of bacterial contamination being the Pediatric area a high risk of contamination of stethoscopes