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: Best Practices

Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Best Practices Bundles catheter-associated urinary tract infections Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections Central-Line Venous Catheters Checklists Data Validation Healthcare Quality, Safety Healthcare-Acquired Infections Infection Prevention Interventions Patient Notification Published Infection Rates

NJ.com: “Hospitals get a mixed report card for preventing dangerous infections”

February 9, 2015 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD

NJ.com (January 16, 2015) “Hospitals get a mixed report card for preventing dangerous infections.” NOTABLE QUOTES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Eliminating hospital infections is a “top priority.”…

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…

Auxiliary Water Channel Best Practices Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) Colonoscopes Colonoscopy Disease Transmission Disposable Irrigation Tubing Endoscope Reprocessing Endoscope Sampling Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) Gastrointestinal Endoscopy GI Endoscopes Healthcare Quality, Safety Healthcare-Acquired Infections Hepatitis (B and C) Viruses Infection Prevention Joint Commission (JCAHO) Klebsiella pneumoniae Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase]-producing K. pneumoniae MAJ-855 Water Tube Medical Errors Mycobacterium abscessus Product Labeling Pseudomonas aeruginosa Quality Assurance Risk Management Serratia spp. Superbugs Surveys Tap Water The Reuse of Single-Use Devices

Tap Water Used for Irrigation during GI Endoscopy: A Recommendation and Assessment of the Infection Risk

May 20, 2014 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD

February 18, 2014 — This article discusses the potential for healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) associated with the use of tap water, compared to sterile water, for irrigation (and/or cleansing the endoscope’s…

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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
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