title: Microbial contamination of anesthetic syringes in relation to different handling habits.
abstract: This single-center study prospectively assessed the microbial contamination of anesthetic syringes handled perioperatively under different conditions. We documented high rates of bacterial contamination, with strong but statistically nonsignificant differences between handling groups. Our results identify skin contact as the main source of contamination, and thus we emphasize the impact of proper hand hygiene.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany. Electronic address: heid@uni-mainz.de.
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Heid
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Carolin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bender
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Hendrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gervais
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schmeck
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine, University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kohnen
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Rüdiger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Noppens
mesh_terms: D000758:Anesthesia / Q000379:methods*; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013594:Syringes / Q000382:microbiology*
keywords: Anesthesia; Contamination; Hand hygiene; Syringes