Computers in anesthesia and intensive care: lack of evidence that the central unit serves as reservoir of pathogens.
OBJECTIVE
Computers are becoming increasingly visible in operating rooms (OR) and intensive care units (ICU) for use in bedside documentation. Recently, they have been suspected as possibly acting as reservoirs for microorganisms and vehicles for the transfer of pathogens to patients, causing nosocomial infections. The purpose of this study was to examine the microbiological (bacteriological and mycological) contamination of the central unit of computers used in an OR, a surgical and a pediatric ICU of a tertiary teaching hospital.


METHODS
Sterile swab samples were taken from five sites in each of 13 computers stationed at the two ICUs and 12 computers at the OR. Sample sites within the chassis housing of the computer processing unit (CPU) included the CPU fan, ventilator, and metal casing. External sites were the ventilator and the bottom of the computer tower. Quantitative and qualitative microbiological analyses were performed according to commonly used methods.


RESULTS
One hundred and ninety sites were cultured for bacteria and fungi. Analyses of swabs taken at five equivalent sites inside and outside the computer chassis did not find any significant-number of potentially pathogenic bacteria or fungi. This can probably be attributed to either the absence or the low number of pathogens detected on the surfaces.


CONCLUSIONS
Microbial contamination in the CPU of OR and ICU computers is too low for designating them as a reservoir for microorganisms.
Quinzio
Lorenzo
L
Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine, and Pain Therapy, University Hospital, Giessen, Germany.
Blazek
Michael
M
Hartmann
Bernd
B
Röhrig
Rainer
R
Wille
Burkhard
B
Junger
Axel
A
Hempelmann
Gunter
G
D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000295:instrumentation; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003201:Computers; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D005658:Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D009873:Operating Rooms