A practical method of reducing spread of disease by hypodermic needles

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Infectious Disease Control
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Multidose syringes are commonly used in animal healthcare, posing a risk of infection transmission between animals.
• Contaminated needles can lead to the spread of bacterial pathogens, compromising animal welfare and study integrity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a novel telescopic device with a biocide-impregnated foam cap in preventing infection transmission via multidose syringes.
• To determine the number of injections a contaminated needle can withstand before culturable bacteria are detected.

Main Methods:

• Laboratory-based study involving continuous needle contamination with various bacteria.
• Use of a telescopic device with a biocide-impregnated foam cap fitted to a syringe barrel.
• Bacterial culturing from needle tips in broth and on solid media after sequential injections.

Main Results:

• No culturable bacteria were detected in broth until after a minimum of 25 injections, with most cases showing no contamination after 50 injections.
• Bacterial culture on solid media resulted in more frequent breakdowns, potentially due to agar lodging in the needle, shielding bacteria from the biocide.
• The device demonstrated significant potential in preventing microbial contamination during repeated use of multidose syringes.

Conclusions:

• The tested device effectively minimizes the risk of infection transmission associated with multidose syringe use in animal settings.
• Further research may be warranted to optimize the device for solid media applications and diverse bacterial challenges.
• This innovation offers a practical solution for improving biosecurity in veterinary practices and animal research.