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: Outbreak Investigations

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…

Biofilms Bronchoscopes Case Study Colonoscopes Disease Transmission Disinfection Endoscope Sampling Gastrointestinal Endoscopy GI Endoscopes High-Level Disinfection Infection Prevention Instrument Reprocessing Outbreak Investigations Semicritical Devices

Case Study: A “Dirty” Gastrointestinal Endoscope

January 2, 2013 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD

January 2, 2013 — This article presents a case study, for the purpose of education, that details events at a fictional facility known as “Hospital X.” Breaches in reprocessing protocols…

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Case Reviews Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Cosmetic Surgery Mycobacterium abscessus Nontuberculous Mycobacteria ("NTM") Outbreak Investigations Public Disclosure

15 Patients Infected with Mycobacteria After Undergoing Cosmetic Surgery at a South Florida Clinic

May 6, 2024 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD
Adverse Event Reports Case Reviews Colonoscopes Colonoscopy Endoscope Reprocessing Risk Assessment Salmonella

17 U.S. Patients Were Exposed in December to a Colonoscope Contaminated with Salmonella Bacteria, FDA Reports Reveal

January 24, 2024 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD
Adverse Event Reports Ambu Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) COVID-19 Endoscope Reprocessing Rebuttals Single-Use TPT Medicare Payment Status

In Support of Patient Safety, Healthcare Access, and Medicare Payment for a Single-Use Bronchoscope Model

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