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: High-Level Disinfection

Aseptic Technique Biological Indicators Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) Critical Device Classifications Disease Transmission Endoscope Reprocessing Flexible "ENT" Laryngoscopes Food and Drug Administration High-Level Disinfection Hydraulic Fluid Infection Prevention Instrument Drying Intermediate-Level Disinfection Liquid Chemical Sterilization Low-Level Disinfection Noncritical Ophthalmic Instruments Patty Murray (U.S. Senator) Rigid Laryngoscopes Semicritical Devices Skin Electrodes (Reusable) Sterility Sterilization Toxic Anterior Segment Syndrome

Response to the FDA’s Draft Guidance Document on the Reprocessing of Reusable Medical Devices

February 7, 2015 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD

February 5, 2015 — This article presents Dr. Muscarella’s response submitted in August 2011 to the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in reply to the Agency’s request earlier that…

Hepatitis (B and C) Viruses High-Level Disinfection Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Intermediate-Level Disinfection Low-Level Disinfection Transvaginal Ultrasound Probes Ultrasound Transducers

Persistent Microbial Contamination of Vaginal Ultrasound Probes Despite Disinfection: A Brief Review

October 22, 2014 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD

October 22, 2014 — The article by M’Zail et al. (2014) entitled, “Persistence of Microbial Contamination on Transvaginal Ultrasound Probes despite Low-Level Disinfection Procedure” places important and timely focus on…

Advocate Lutheran General Hospital Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Automated Endoscope Reprocessors Biofilms Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) Colonoscopes Colonoscopy Design Control Disease Transmission Disinfection Endoscope Reprocessing Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) Escherichia coli Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) Ethylene Oxide Gas Sterilization Food and Drug Administration Gastrointestinal Endoscopy GI Endoscopes Glutaraldehyde High-Level Disinfection Klebsiella pneumoniae Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase]-producing K. pneumoniae Low-Temperature Sterilization Patient Notification Quality Assurance Quality System Regulation Root Causes Analysis Shelf Life, Storage Transparency Veterans Health Administration

Risk of Transmission of Superbugs during Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

October 16, 2014 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD

Click here (PDF format) or here (HTML format) to read Dr. Muscarella’s “Risk of transmission of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae and related ‘superbugs’ during gastrointestinal endoscopy” (World J Gastrointest Endosc 2014; 6(10):457-474.)…

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Adverse Event Reports Case Reviews Colonoscopes Colonoscopy Endoscope Reprocessing Risk Assessment Salmonella

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January 24, 2024 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD
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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