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: Hepatitis (B and C) Viruses

Bedside Cleaning Device Classifications Device Contamination Disease Transmission Disinfection Endoscope Reprocessing Escherichia coli Flexible "ENT" Laryngoscopes Hepatitis (B and C) Viruses High-Level Disinfection Infection Prevention Instrument Drying Intermediate-Level Disinfection Pseudomonas aeruginosa Rigid Laryngoscopes Semicritical Devices Serratia spp. Sheaths Sterilization

California Health Alert: Failure to Disinfect Reusable Semicritical Instrumentation Poses an Increased Risk of Infection

September 16, 2013 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD

September 16, 2013 — In 2007 the Health and Human Services Agency Department of Health Services for the state of California advised facility administrators and infection prevention and control professionals,…

Best Practices Biological Indicators Biopsy Forceps Central Sterile Processing Critical Device Classifications Endoscope Reprocessing Flexible "ENT" Laryngoscopes Hepatitis (B and C) Viruses High-Level Disinfection HIV Infection Prevention Instrument Reprocessing Intermediate-Level Disinfection Low-Level Disinfection Low-Temperature Sterilization Noncritical ortho-phthalaldehyde Prions Rigid Arthroscopes Semicritical Devices

Disinfection or Sterilization of a Contaminated Reusable Instrument?

September 4, 2013 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD

Selection of the “right” sterilization or disinfection process, or technology, for reprocessing a specific type of reusable instrument may not always be straightforward. This is often because the instrument is…

Best Practices Case Study Disease Transmission Healthcare-Acquired Infections Hepatitis (B and C) Viruses HIV Infection Prevention IV Infusions Multi-Dose Medicine Vials Outbreak Investigations Sterility The Reuse of Single-Use Devices

Answers Sought in Hepatitis Infection at a Hospital in New Hampshire

August 19, 2013 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD

Report: “Answers Sought in Hepatitis Infection” This newspaper article discusses a recent outbreak of the hepatitis C virus due to the alleged theft of intravenous (IV) drugs. The following is…

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