title: Incidence of human papillomavirus contamination of transvaginal probes in Japan and possible contamination prevention strategy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To clarify the present status of human papillomavirus (HPV) contamination of transvaginal probes in Japan and propose a preventive method.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was performed at three institutes: a tertiary center, secondary hospital, and primary facility. To identify contamination rates, probes were disinfected and covered with probe covers and condoms; the cover was changed for each patient. The probes were tested for HPV, and those with HPV detected were analyzed to identify the type of HPV. Next, nurses put on new gloves before covering the probe for each patient, and the probes were similarly tested for HPV.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 120 probes were tested, and HPV was detected from a total of five probes, a contamination rate of 4.2 % (5/120). HPV was detected in all three institutes. Importantly, high-risk HPV, i.e., HPV-52, 56, and 59, was detected. After the "glove change strategy" was implemented, HPV was not detected on any of 150 probes tested at any of the three institutions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In Japan, the HPV contamination rate of vaginal probes in routine practice was 4.2 %. There was no HPV contamination of probes after changing the gloves for cover exchange for each patient. This strategy may prevent HPV probe contamination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sano Kosei General Hospital, Sano, Japan. kuwata@jichi.ac.jp.|Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Japan. kuwata@jichi.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuwata
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sano Kosei General Hospital, Sano, Japan.|Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Japan.
authors.forename: Hironori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Japan.
authors.forename: Harumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koibuchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Showa University Northern Yokohama Hospital, Yokohama, Japan.
authors.forename: Kiyotake
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ichizuka
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Michiya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Natori
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Japan.
authors.forename: Shigeki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsubara
mesh_terms: D017280:Condoms; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D058637:Examination Tables; D005260:Female; D017575:Gloves, Protective; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D057184:Practice Patterns, Nurses'; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D014621:Vagina
keywords: Human papillomavirus; Manual contamination; Probe contamination; Transvaginal probe; Transvaginal ultrasound