Bacterial Contamination Detected In Ultrasound Gels

Main Category: MRSA / Drug Resistance
Also Included In: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses;  MRI / PET / Ultrasound
Article Date: 22 Apr 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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A study conducted by M. Eyigor and colleagues (Turkey), presented at the 18th European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in Barcelona, has demonstrated the contamination of sonographic transducers, which can result in outbreaks of hospital infection. All the gels in the hospital were collected to exclude bacterial contamination.

A total of 669 unopened bottles of gels from two different brands were sampled for cultures. In one of the brands - the most expensive one (6€ per bottle) - no bacterial growth was observed in 364 bottles sampled, so these gels were distributed back to the hospital. A total of 305 bottles of the second brand - the cheapest one (1€ per bottle) - were investigated and in 222 (72.8%) of these, bacterial contamination was detected.

The study identified 21 isolates of Burkholderia spp., and this was the most frequent contaminant. Pulse gel electrophoresis was performed for all 21 isolates confirming that all originated from the same clone. An increase in wound infection rates was also seen.

It should be recognised that ultrasound gels may be contaminated during production and/or packaging and may be a source of nosocomial infections even today.

18th ECCMID (European Congress of Clinical Microbiological and Infectious Diseases), Barcelona, Spain
http://www.akm.ch/eccmid2008

European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases