Comparison between two methods of cleaning and disinfection of digital pulse oximeters in primary care
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Published on: February 24, 2026
Juliana Arruda de Matos1,2, Ivana Bogado Martinez3, Érika de Almeida Leite da Silva Teixeira de Souza4
1Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, National Institute of Infectology Evandro Chagas, Immunization and Health Surveillance Research Unit. Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Objectives:
to compare the efficacy and duration of cleaning and disinfection of digital oximeters with two methods in a primary care setting.
Methods:
microbiological culture and adenosine triphosphate assay results were evaluated in oximeters inoculated with Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus or Escherichia coli: after water and detergent followed by 70% ethanol (method 1); after one-step disinfectant based on benzalkonium chloride and polyhexamethylene biguanide hydrochloride (method 2); and no cleaning and disinfection (control). Effective disinfection was defined as: (1) microbial load reduction of ≥99.99%, (2) negative culture or (3) final microbial load <103.
Results:
effective disinfection varied between 33.3% (criterion 2) and 72.2% (criterion 3) and was similar between the two methods, while cleaning and disinfection duration in method 2 was notably shorter.
Conclusions:
the efficacy of the two methods was similar and suboptimal, highlighting the challenges associated with the cleaning and disinfection of electronic medical devices in primary care.
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