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. 2012 Nov;40(9):880-2.
doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2011.11.004. Epub 2012 Feb 10.

Aldehyde-resistant mycobacteria bacteria associated with the use of endoscope reprocessing systems

Christopher W Fisher  1 , Anthony Fiorello, Diana Shaffer, Mary Jackson, Gerald E McDonnell
Affiliations

Aldehyde-resistant mycobacteria bacteria associated with the use of endoscope reprocessing systems

Christopher W Fisher et al. Am J Infect Control. 2012 Nov.

Abstract

Bacteria can develop resistance to antibiotics, but little is known about their ability to increase resistance to chemical disinfectants. This study randomly sampled 3 automated endoscope reprocessors in the United States using aldehydes for endoscope disinfection. Bacterial contamination was found after disinfection in all automated endoscope reprocessors, and some mycobacteria isolates demonstrated significant resistance to glutaraldehyde and ortho-phthaldehyde disinfectants. Bacteria can survive aldehyde-based disinfection and may pose a cross-contamination risk to patients.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Sensitivity of isolates to aldehyde disinfection (average log reduction shown). Note, only one control (M. gordonae) and some of the strains showing significant resistance are shown; culture collection strains of the other bacteria species identified where tested and did not show greater resistance to disinfection than the M. gordonae control strain.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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