Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 28, 2026

Fabrication and Visualization of Capillary Bridges in Slit Pore Geometry
Published on: January 9, 2014
Bacterial contamination of slit lamps in veterinary ophthalmology
Christina Casola1, Evelyne Winter-Kempf2, Katrin Voelter1
1Equine Department, Division of Ophthalmology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Purpose:
Healthcare-associated infection (HAI) is a well-known problem in human medicine. The contamination of medical devices with pathogenic organisms is less studied in veterinary medicine. The purpose of this multicenter study was to evaluate the bacterial contamination of slit lamps throughout Europe and part of the United States. The efficacy of standard cleaning was additionally investigated.
Methods:
Samples from adjustment wheels of slit lamps were taken by different veterinary ophthalmologists and submitted for culture (n = 29). The efficacy of cleaning protocols was evaluated by taking a second sample after routine cleaning (n = 29). Sensitivity testing was performed for pathogenic bacteria using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) or disc diffusion (Kirby-Bauer) method. Statistical analysis was performed using Fisher's exact test.
Results:
Seventeen of 29 slit lamps were contaminated before cleaning. The most frequently cultured bacteria were Staphylococcus spp. and coliform bacteria. Twelve of 29 slit lamps showed no bacterial growth before and after cleaning. There was a significant difference before and after cleaning (P = 0.0008), with only 4/29 contaminated samples after cleaning.
Conclusion:
Contamination with pathogenic bacterial species is frequent in slit lamps used by veterinary ophthalmologists. A risk of cross-contamination in clinical patients has to be considered. Routine cleaning reduces bacterial contamination significantly.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Contaminants and Errors
Another key consideration is determining the appropriate number of samples required to...
Bacterial Transformation
Griffith made an unexpected discovery when he killed the pathogenic strain and mixed its remains with the live, non-pathogenic strain. Not only did the mixture kill host mice, but it also contained living pathogenic bacteria that...
Bacterial Signaling
Bacterial RNA Polymerase
In most genes, the transcription site is a single base present upstream of the coding sequence. Though RNAP is a catalytically efficient enzyme, it does not recognize...
Bacterial Transcription
Transcription can be divided into three main stages, each involving distinct DNA sequences to guide the polymerase. These are:
Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens
Phagocytes
Phagocytes are the frontline soldiers of the immune system. They include neutrophils and macrophages. Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cell and are quickly mobilized to the site of infection. Macrophages are larger cells that patrol...

