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: Low-Temperature Sterilization

Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biofilms Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) Carbapenems Endoscope Reprocessing Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) Ethylene Oxide Gas Sterilization Food and Drug Administration GI Endoscopes Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase]-producing K. pneumoniae Low-Temperature Sterilization Monitoring Rinse Water Pentax Transparency

Overlooked Outbreaks of “CRE” Linked to GI Endoscopy: A “Superbug” Epidemic in Our Midst?

December 30, 2013 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD

December 20, 2013 (updated December 23, 2015) — A Chicago newspaper reported on December 27, 2013, that a hospital in Park Ridge (IL) had identified an outbreak of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae,…

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…

ABTOX Plazlyte System American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery Flash Sterilization Instrument Reprocessing Joint Commission (JCAHO) Liquid Chemical Sterilization Low-Temperature Sterilization Ophthalmic Instruments Peracetic Acid Steam Sterilization STERIS System 1 Toxic Anterior Segment Syndrome

Association of Toxic Anterior Segment Syndrome (TASS) with Ophthalmic Instrument Sterilization

January 11, 2013 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD

This article focuses on risk factors, including the reprocessing of ophthalmic instruments, for the eye disorder known as TASS, or toxic anterior segment syndrome. (This article is based on a…

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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

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January 6, 2023 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD