Abstract
Concern about the epidemic of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome led to discussions in one health district about the dangers of cross-infection from instruments in general practice and health authority clinics. In order to establish what current disinfection practices were in use a telephone survey was adopted as a quick and easy method of data collection. Information was collected on who was responsible for disinfection as well as details of how each instrument was disinfected. Results from 69 general practices and 21 health authority clinice in one health district are reported.
Some form of sterilizer was used in 63 general practices. These included water boilers (49%), dry heat sterilizers (41%), autoclaves (5%) and pressure cookers (5%). Sixty one practices were using metal vaginal specula and of these 29 were disinfecting by boiling, three were using pressure cookers, 18 dry heat, seven chemical methods, three autoclaves and one the central sterile department of the local hospital. Of those who were boiling after simple washing, three practices boiled for five to 10 minutes and reused instruments during the same clinic. Of the 29 using simple boiling 20 (69%) were boiling for less than 20 minutes.
The study highlights the fact that no formal advice has been given on disinfection practice by the DHSS, the health authorities or the family practitioner committees. The need to set up local guidelines and develop practical steps for their introduction are discussed.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Aliberti L. C. The flexible sigmoidoscope as a potential vector of infectious disease, including suggestions for decontamination of the flexible sigmoidoscope. Yale J Biol Med. 1987 Jan-Feb;60(1):19–26. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Birnie G. G., Quigley E. M., Clements G. B., Follet E. A., Watkinson G. Endoscopic transmission of hepatitis B virus. Gut. 1983 Feb;24(2):171–174. doi: 10.1136/gut.24.2.171. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hoffman P. N. Decontamination of equipment in general practice. Practitioner. 1987 Oct 22;231(1437):1411–1415. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- McCance D. J., Campion M. J., Baram A., Singer A. Risk of transmission of human papillomavirus by vaginal specula. Lancet. 1986 Oct 4;2(8510):816–817. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(86)90343-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- O'Connor H. J., Axon A. T. Gastrointestinal endoscopy: infection and disinfection. Gut. 1983 Nov;24(11):1067–1077. doi: 10.1136/gut.24.11.1067. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Sakaoka H., Saheki Y., Uzuki K., Nakakita T., Saito H., Sekine K., Fujinaga K. Two outbreaks of herpes simplex virus type 1 nosocomial infection among newborns. J Clin Microbiol. 1986 Jul;24(1):36–40. doi: 10.1128/jcm.24.1.36-40.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Skegg D. C., Paul C. Viruses, specula, and cervical cancer. Lancet. 1986 Apr 5;1(8484):797–797. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(86)91803-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Springthorpe V. S., Grenier J. L., Lloyd-Evans N., Sattar S. A. Chemical disinfection of human rotaviruses: efficacy of commercially-available products in suspension tests. J Hyg (Lond) 1986 Aug;97(1):139–161. doi: 10.1017/s0022172400064433. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Van Dyke R. B., Spector S. A. Transmission of herpes simplex virus type 1 to a newborn infant during endotracheal suctioning for meconium aspiration. Pediatr Infect Dis. 1984 Mar-Apr;3(2):153–156. doi: 10.1097/00006454-198403000-00019. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Ventura L. M., Dix R. D. Viability of herpes simplex virus type 1 on the applanation tonometer. Am J Ophthalmol. 1987 Jan 15;103(1):48–52. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9394(14)74168-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- du Moulin G. C., Hedley-Whyte J. Hospital-associated viral infection and the anesthesiologist. Anesthesiology. 1983 Jul;59(1):51–65. doi: 10.1097/00000542-198307000-00010. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]