Using an efficient biofilm detaching agent: an essential step for the improvement of endoscope reprocessing protocols

Is peracetic acid suitable for the cleaning step of reprocessing flexible endoscopes?

“…Under natural environmental conditions, biofilms are likely to be composed of a mixture of different species [131,132] . In the laboratory, they can be grown on various materials and devices, including polystyrene microtitre plates [133][134][135][136] , haemolysis glass tubes [137,138] , stainless steel coupons [134,139] and also in Teflon tubes [140][141][142][143] , similar to endoscope channels.…”

“…In one case, a colonoscope was contaminated with a total of 195 bacteria despite six rounds of reprocessing [168] . Treatment with a cleaning agent that had previously been shown to remove biofilms from endoscope tubes [142] was capable of eradicating the microbes almost completely, indicating that the presence of biofilm was the main reason for ongoing bacterial contamination [168] . Biofilms were also found in washer disinfectors resulting in contamination of automatically-processed endoscopes, e.g., with Mycobacterium chelonae [169,170] , Methylobacterium mesophilicum [170] or P. aeruginosa [171] , some giving rise to nosocomial infections [171] .…”

Usefulness of Bacteriological Monitoring of Endoscope Reprocessing

“…Kovacs et al (1998) reported a strain of P. aeruginosa responsible for three separate clinical episodes of ERCPassociated cholangitis and concluded that the organism developed adaptive chemical resistance to glutaraldehyde. The use of anti-biofilm oxidising agents and disinfectants with antimicrobial coating inside washer disinfectors could reduce biofilm build-up inside endoscopes and endoscope washers and decrease the risk of transmitting infections (Marion et al, 2006;Rutala & Weber, 2001). Sterilization can be helpful to destroy microorganisms within biofilms.…”

11-Tungstophosphate with Iron(II) and Hydrogen Peroxide Efficiently Detached Bacterial Biofilm

“…After the samples were extensively washed with water and air-dried, they were treated with phosphate-buffered 4% glutaraldehyde and ethanol solutions, followed by acetone treatment for fixation and dehydration. 30) Finally, the samples were further dried in a vacuum chamber, and the glass surface was coated with Pt and Pd in an ion sputterer (E-1010; Hitachi). The sample was finally observed by SEM (S-4100; Hitachi).…”