Discussions in Infection Control

An independent site by Lawrence F Muscarella PhD -- a national authority on the causes and prevention of healthcare-associated infections and related errors.

Category: Aseptic Technique

Aseptic Technique Best Practices Colonoscopes Colonoscopy Disease Transmission Endoscope Reprocessing Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) Fungal infections Gastrointestinal Endoscopy GI Endoscopes Healthcare Quality, Safety Healthcare-Acquired Infections Hepatitis (B and C) Viruses HIV Infection Prevention Legionella Legionnaires' Disease Multi-Dose Medicine Vials Outbreak Investigations Patient Notification Published Infection Rates Quality Assurance Single-Dose Medicine Vials Sterility Syringes or Needles Transparency Veterans Health Administration

Recent Cases of Infection during GI Endoscopy and Other Surgical Procedures: A Focus on Patient Notification

September 30, 2014 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD

September 30, 2014 — This article discusses a number of recent instances of transmission of the hepatitis C virus and other infectious agents during gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy and other surgical…

Aseptic Technique Central Sterile Processing Environmental Contamination Mycobacterium abscessus Nontuberculous Mycobacteria ("NTM") Operating Rooms Surgical Instruments Tap Water Water Filtration

Recommendations to Prevent Atypical Mycobacterial Infections Following Surgical Procedures

July 29, 2014 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD

July 30, 2014 — This is the second in a series of three articles that discuss an outbreak of an unusual type of atypical mycobacterium following surgical procedures performed in…

Aseptic Technique Cardiopulmonary Perfusion Machine Central Sterile Processing Environmental Contamination Greenville Memorial Hospital Handwashing Sinks Heater-Cooler Devices Ice Dispensers Medical Device Reports (MDRs) Mycobacterium abscessus Nontuberculous Mycobacteria ("NTM") Surgical Instruments Tap Water Water Filtration

4th Patient Dies, 15 Infected at Greenville Memorial Hospital Likely Due to Contaminated Tap Water

July 23, 2014 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD

June 27, 2014 — In late May, 2014, officials of the Greenville Health System in South Carolina identified a number of patients infected with an “unusual” type of organism. The…

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January 8, 2024 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD
Adulterated Devices Adverse Event Reports Device Recalls Duodenoscopes with Disposable Components Endoscope Reprocessing Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) FUJIFILM ED-580XT MAJ-2315 Misbranded Devices Olympus TJF-Q190V Single-Use Endcap with Elevator Warning letters (FDA)

Guidance to Prevent Adverse Events, Including Mucosal Tissue Injuries, When Using Duodenoscopes with a Single-Use Endcap

August 2, 2023 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD
Adverse Event Reports Candida auris Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) Duodenoscopes Endoscope Reprocessing Escherichia coli Gastroscopes MAUDE Medical Device Reports (MDRs) Risk Assessment Single-Use Disposable Devices

Gastroscopes Have Been Linked to A Cluster of Resistant E. coli Infections — Is the Risk Sufficiently Recognized?

January 6, 2023 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD