Abstract
Bacterial contamination of stethoscopes in university hospitals: Multicenter study
Highlights
Stethoscope membranes provide a suitable environment for bacterial survival and they get contaminated during examination of patients
Disinfection of stethoscope membranes should be performed after examining each patient and it is necessary to conduct further education of physicians on this matter
Stethoscope membranes are surfaces where bacteria can survive on and the level of contamination can be compared to the contamination of thenar eminence of the hospital worker’s hands [2, 3]
Summary
Stethoscope membranes provide a suitable environment for bacterial survival and they get contaminated during examination of patients. If they are not disinfected, they can become a source of nosocomial infections. Stethoscope membranes are surfaces where bacteria can survive on and the level of contamination can be compared to the contamination of thenar eminence of the hospital worker’s hands [2, 3]. After examining a few patients in a row without disinfecting the membrane, microorganisms can be passed from one patient to another, so stethoscope membranes can become a source of nosocomial infections. According to the Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities [4], stethoscopes belong to low risk materials. Physicians very often neglect disinfection of stethoscopes and consider it of little importance
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