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Gastroscopy-associated transmission of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa

O Bajolet1, D Ciocan, C Vallet

  • 1Equipe Opérationnelle d'Hygiène, CHU de Reims, Reims, France; UFR Médecine, Université de Reims, Reims, France. obajolet@chu-reims.fr

The Journal of Hospital Infection
|January 23, 2013
PubMed

Insights

A multi-drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDR-PA) outbreak was linked to a contaminated gastroscope in a French hospital. Strict adherence to reprocessing protocols successfully halted the MDR-PA transmission.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Hospital Epidemiology
  • Medical Device Safety

Background:

  • Multi-drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDR-PA) poses a significant threat in healthcare settings.
  • Endoscopes are critical medical devices requiring rigorous reprocessing to prevent patient-to-patient transmission of pathogens.

Observation:

  • Four patients in a French teaching hospital were diagnosed with MDR-PA between May and August 2011.
  • All affected patients underwent oesophago-gastro-duodenoscopy using the same gastroscope within a five-month period.
  • The implicated gastroscope tested positive for MDR-PA.

Findings:

  • Deviations in endoscope reprocessing procedures were identified, including inadequate cleaning, reduced disinfection times, insufficient flushing, and improper drying.
  • These lapses in reprocessing created an environment for MDR-PA survival and transmission via the gastroscope.

Implications:

  • Reinforces the critical importance of strict adherence to validated endoscope reprocessing protocols to prevent healthcare-associated infections.
  • Highlights the potential for contaminated medical equipment to be a source of multi-drug-resistant organism outbreaks.
  • Underscores the need for continuous monitoring and quality control in instrument reprocessing.

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