title: Bacterial contamination of ultrasound probes in different radiological institutions before and after specific hygiene training: do we have a general hygienical problem?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Aim was to investigate hygienic conditions of ultrasound probes before and after hygiene training in radiology institutions in comparison to bacterial contamination in public places.
  
  
  METHODS
  In three radiology departments, bacterial contamination was evaluated using baseline agar plates for cultures taken from 36 ultrasound probes. Afterwards teams were trained by a hygiene service centre and 36 ultrasound probes were routinely disinfected with regular disinfecting wipes and then evaluated. In comparison, bacterial contamination in public places (bus poles, n = 11; toilet seats, n = 10) were analysed. Plates were routinely incubated and the number of colony forming units (CFU) analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cultures taken from the probes showed a median of 53 CFU before and 0 CFU after training (p < 0.001). Cultures taken from public places showed a median of 4 CFU from toilets and 28 from bus poles and had lower bacterial load in comparison to ultrasound probes before training (p = 0.055, toilets; p = 0.772, bus poles), without statistical significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bacterial contamination of ultrasound probes prior to hygiene training proved to be high and showed higher bacterial load than toilets seats or bus poles. Radiologists should be aware that the lack of hygiene in the field of ultrasound diagnostics puts patients at risk of healthcare-associated infections.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • Hospital-associated infections are a problem for patient care. • Hygiene training of staff prevents bacterial contamination of ultrasound probes. • Disinfection of ultrasound probes is an easy method to protect patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland.|Institute of Radiology, Kantonsspital Winterthur, Brauerstrasse 15, 8401, Winterthur, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sartoretti
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland.|Institute of Radiology, Kantonsspital Winterthur, Brauerstrasse 15, 8401, Winterthur, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sartoretti
authors.affiliation: Bioexam AG, Labor für Lebensmittel, Heilmittel und Hygiene, Maihofstrasse 95a, P.O. Box 6858, 6000, Lucerne 6, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Candid
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bucher
authors.affiliation: Institute of Radiology, Kantonsspital Winterthur, Brauerstrasse 15, 8401, Winterthur, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Aleksis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Doert
authors.affiliation: Institute of Radiology, Kantonsspital Winterthur, Brauerstrasse 15, 8401, Winterthur, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Binkert
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hergan
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meissnitzer
authors.affiliation: Institute of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Hirslanden Klinik St. Anna, St. Anna-Strasse 32, 6006, Lucerne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Froehlich
authors.affiliation: Institute of Radiology, Kantonsspital Winterthur, Brauerstrasse 15, 8401, Winterthur, Switzerland.|Department of Radiology, University Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St., Seattle, WA, 98190, USA.
authors.forename: Orpheus
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kolokythas
authors.affiliation: Institute of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Hirslanden Klinik St. Anna, St. Anna-Strasse 32, 6006, Lucerne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matoori
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, Hirslanden Klinik St. Anna, St. Anna-Strasse 32, 6006, Lucerne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Orasch
authors.affiliation: Institute of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Hirslanden Klinik St. Anna, St. Anna-Strasse 32, 6006, Lucerne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kos
authors.affiliation: Institute of Radiology, Kantonsspital Winterthur, Brauerstrasse 15, 8401, Winterthur, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sartoretti-Schefer
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland. andreas.gutzeit@hirslanden.ch.|Department of Radiology, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria. andreas.gutzeit@hirslanden.ch.|Institute of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Hirslanden Klinik St. Anna, St. Anna-Strasse 32, 6006, Lucerne, Switzerland. andreas.gutzeit@hirslanden.ch.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gutzeit
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004203:Disinfection / Q000592:standards*; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene / Q000193:education*; D014159:Transducers / Q000382:microbiology*; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000295:instrumentation*
chemical_list: D004202:Disinfectants
keywords: Bacterial contamination; Colony forming units; Disinfection; Healthcare-associated infections; Ultrasound probes