Toolkit for monitoring endoscope reprocessing effectiveness

Editor's Note

In this study, a preassembled toolkit that facilitated the aseptic collection of samples for culturing detected viable microbes on fully reprocessed endoscopes.

Biopsy ports and suction/biopsy channels of 5 gastroscopes, 5 colonoscopes, and 5 bronchoscopes were aseptically sampled with the toolkit after the scopes were fully processed.

Bacteria were detected in samples from 60% of processed scopes, including gram-positive and gram-negative species. Viable microbes were recovered from 2 gastroscopes, 3 colonoscopes, and 4 bronchoscopes.

Speciation allowed identification of potential pathogens and a possible common contamination source (ie, the reprocessing rinse water), showing that microbial cultures may have value even when colony counts are low, the authors note.