TY  - JOUR
T1  - MIcrobiologic contamination and cleaning personal medical equipment
AU  - Wurtz R, Weinstein R, et al
Y1  - 1998/08/12
N1  - 10-1001/pubs.JAMA-ISSN-0098-7484-280-6-jac057001
JO  - JAMA
SP  - 519
EP  - 520
VL  - 280
IS  - 6
N2  - 
To the Editor.—Personal medical equipment (eg, stethoscopes) is subject to vagaries in use, storage, and cleaning. There is theoretical concern that pathogenic or antimicrobial-resistant organisms could be transmitted from place to place or patient to patient on personal medical equipment. Several studies1- 3 have demonstrated bacteria on stethoscopes and support these concerns. Data on microbiologic contamination of other handheld medical equipment (eg, otoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, and reflex hammers) are limited. However, the clinical significance of these positive culture findings is uncertain. A recent prospective study in a medical intensive care unit demonstrated probable acquisition of vancomycin-resistant enterococcus colonization in 2 patients exposed to contaminated blood pressure cuffs.4

SN  - 0098-7484
M3  - doi: 10-1001/pubs.JAMA-ISSN-0098-7484-280-6-jac057001
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10-1001/pubs.JAMA-ISSN-0098-7484-280-6-jac057001
ER  -