Abstract
Stethoscope is used to assess the health of patients but can also act as a potential source of disease transmission. The study was aimed to find out the contamination rate of stethoscopes, evaluate awareness and attitude of healthcare workers (HCWs) about stethoscope cleaning, and determine the efficacy of 70% alcohol as cleaning agent. This hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital in October 2015 among healthcare workers. They were asked to fill a questionnaire followed by culturing the diaphragm and bell surfaces of their stethoscopes before and after cleaning with 70% isopropyl alcohol. Out of 100 stethoscopes cultured, 56 were found to be contaminated at least with one microorganism. Acinetobacter cbc was the commonest contaminant followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae. Three out of twelve S. aureus strains showed methicillin resistance. Stethoscopes used in emergency areas were more contaminated when compared to wards and out-patient departments. Despite 100% awareness among HCWs, the importance of stethoscope cleaning is realized by only 70% who practice it regularly. Stethoscope is a potential vector for transmission of healthcare associated infections. Hence it is vital to clean it after each use to reduce the load of iatrogenic infections.
Highlights
Stethoscope is used to assess the health of patients but can act as a potential source of disease transmission
The stethoscopes of healthcare workers (HCWs) working in critical areas like intensive care units (ICUs), emergency room, wards, and from those working in outpatient departments (OPDs) were sampled
Total bacterial strains obtained from 56 contaminated stethoscopes were 79 and among all, Acinetobacter cbc (n-31; 39.2%) was the commonest followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (n-22; 27.8%) (Figure 1)
Summary
Stethoscope is used to assess the health of patients but can act as a potential source of disease transmission. Methodology: This hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital in October 2015 among healthcare workers. They were asked to fill a questionnaire followed by culturing the diaphragm and bell surfaces of their stethoscopes before and after cleaning with 70% isopropyl alcohol. Conclusion: Stethoscope is a potential vector for transmission of healthcare associated infections. Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are the most frequent and dreaded adverse events of admission to health care settings now-a-days. They can affect patient in any type of care setting and may appear after discharge. Is the need for an effective surveillance programme to evaluate the role of the non-invasive devices in transmission of infection
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