Intrinsic contamination—the associated infective syndromes

Abstract

When a contaminated therapeutic agent causes disease, no time should be lost in determining whether extrinsic or intrinsic contamination is the source. Extrinsic contamination, introduced while the product is in use often causes sporadic disease, but it also can cause major epidemics. By its nature, extrinsic contamination usually involves only a single institution. In contrast, intrinsic contamination, that is present when the product is received in the hospital, is a potentially far greater threat since medical supplies are often produced by a relatively few manufacturers, are distri buted quite widely, and may, therefore, affect a large number of patients in many hospitals.