Surveillance cultures to monitor quality of gastrointestinal endoscope reprocessing

Abstract

The use of environmental endoscope culturing is a rapid, simple, inexpensive method to monitor effectiveness of standard reprocessing procedures. Disinfection is less effective with poor mechanical cleansing, and high-titer positivity is a marker for poor cleaning technique. Standard upper and lower scopes are commonly culture negative. Duodenoscopes, because of their inherent complexity, and other scopes used in emergent conditions require particular attention. Surveillance culture results can be used to identify patterns of poor technique, to reinforce proper procedure, and to modify clinical practice. No associated clinical illness was apparent during this study.