Tweet
FEATURED NEWS
Deadly, Drug-Resistant ‘Superbugs’ Pose Huge Threat, W.H.O. SaysNew York Times | By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr.FEB. 27, 2017
The World Health Organization warned on Monday that a dozen antibiotic-resistant “superbugs” pose an enormous threat to human health, and urged hospital infection-control experts and pharmaceutical researchers to focus on fighting the most dangerous pathogens first ...
Read More
USA Today: Deadly Bacteria on Medical Scopes Trigger Infections
USA Today | January 21, 2015
The deadly pattern of illnesses began to emerge in 2012 at hospitals in Seattle, Pittsburgh, Chicago. In each case, the culprit was a bacteria known as CRE, perhaps the most feared of superbugs, because it resists even “last defense” antibiotics — and kills up to 40% of the people it infects. And in each case, investigators identified the same source of transmission: a specialized endoscope ...
Read More
Proliferation of bird flu outbreaks raises risk of human pandemic
Reuters | January 26, 2017
LONDON (Reuters) - The global spread of bird flu and the number of viral strains currently circulating and causing infections have reached unprecedented levels, raising the risk of a potential human outbreak, according to disease experts.
Read More
Study: Nearly Three-Quarters Of Commonly Used Medical Scopes Tainted By Bacteria
Kaiser News | By Chad Terhune | April 23, 2018
In an ominous sign for patient safety, 71 percent of reusable medical scopes deemed ready for use on patients tested positive for bacteria at three major U.S. hospitals, according to a new study.
Read More
Renewed Cleaning Efforts For Scopes Not Enough To Vanquish Bacteria
Kaiser News | By Chad Terhune | January 31, 2017
The seven-month study, published Tuesday in the American Journal of Infection Control, found that 12 of 20 gastroscopes and colonoscopes examined tested positive for bacterial growth, even after being disinfected using the current guidelines or additional measures.
Read More
Cleaning And Sterilization Techniques Leave Ureteroscopes Contaminated
Association for Professionals in Infection Control | June 14, 2017.
The techniques used to clean and sterilize flexible ureteroscopes leave behind contamination including debris, residue, and bacteria, according to a new study being presented at the 44th Annual Conference of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).
Read More
MORE NEWS
Surge in human cases of deadly bird flu is prompting alarm
Washington Post, 03 March 2017
A surge in human infections of a deadly bird flu in China is prompting increasing concern among health officials around the world. While the human risk of these outbreaks is low at the moment, experts are calling for constant monitoring because of the large increase in cases this season, and because there are worrisome changes in the virus...
Read More
___________________________
Outbreak of Hospital Infection from Biofilm-embedded
Alipour N, Karagoz A, Taner A, et al. (2017)
Outbreaks of PDR P. aeruginosa especially in pulmonary tract infections due to contaminated bronchoscopes have rarely been reported. The emergenceof pandrug-resistant strains in both CF (Cystic Fibrosis) and non-CF clinical isolates over recent years remains of a great concern. Hospital wards contaminated with PDR P.
aeruginosa infection,must be shot down until their eradication. Health Authorities must be informed immediately and infection control strategies must be implemented...
Read More
___________________________
CDC: ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE THREATS in the United States, 2013
April 23, 2013
Infections from resistant bacteria are now too common, and some pathogens have even become resistant to multiple types or classes of antibiotics (antimicrobials used to treat bacterial infections). The loss of effective antibiotics will undermine our ability to fight infectious diseases ...
Read More
___________________________
Dirty instruments found at DMC; probe may reopen
Jan. 19, 2017
... a laparoscopic grasper caked with old blood and brown ooze was marked as sterile and delivered to a Children’s Hospital of Michigan operating room for pediatric surgeon Dr. Scott Langenburg. The instrument was intercepted and replaced before it could be used during gall bladder surgery on an 18-year-old Armada woman.
Read More
___________________________
World’s first FDA registration for flexible chamber EtO sterilizer
04 Mon Jan 2016
The Andersen Series 4 sterilizer has been approved by the FDA for the sterilization of endoscopes intended for human use.
Read More
___________________________
Decontamination of gastrointestinal endoscopes - new guidance from the BSG
13 Fri Nov 2015
The BSG (British Society of Gastroenterology) has issued new guidance for the decontamination of equipment used in gastrointestinal endoscopy.
Read More
___________________________
US FDA Issues Duodenoscope Reprocessing Guidance
13 Thu Aug 2015
FDA has provided a detailed list of duodenoscope reprocessing measures to be taken in addition to following manufacturer's reprocessing instructions.
Read More
___________________________
USA Hospitals report deaths from contaminated endoscopes
01 Mon Jun 2015
Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Centre in Los Angeles has switched to Ethylene Oxide gas sterilisation of duodenoscopes to prevent CRE contamination.
Read More
___________________________
EPA publish Andersen EtO material compatibility study
12 Mon Jan 2015
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publish study entitled "Compatibility of Material and Electronic Equipment with Ethlyene Oxide Fumigation".
Read More
___________________________
Latest update of ISO 11135 has now been published
13 Thu Nov 2014
ISO 11135:2014 is now available for purchase on the ISO website. The standard has an extended, 36 month, transition period
Read More
___________________________
Flexible chamber AAMI TIR published
01 Thu May 2014
AAMI has now issued TIR 56 providing guidance on EtO sterilization of medical devices using a flexible chamber system.
Read More