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Stethoscopes as potential intrahospital carriers of pathogenic microorganisms.
Am J Infect Control. 2013 Oct 29;
Authors: Campos-Murguía A, León-Lara X, Muñoz JM, Macías AE, Alvarez JA
Abstract
Stethoscopes can take part in the transmission of health care-associated infections. We cultured 112 stethoscopes by direct imprint on blood agar to estimate the prevalence of potentially pathogenic microorganisms. Forty-eight (47%) produced 50 potentially pathogenic microorganisms; from these, 43 (86%) were Staphylococcus aureus, of which 18 (42%) were methicillin-resistant S. aureus. We concluded that stethoscopes should be considered as potential fomites and must be disinfected routinely before and after each patient contact.
PMID: 24176606 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]