Muscarella Lawrence F
Research and Development, Custom Ultrasonics, Inc., Ivyland, Pennsylvania 18974, USA.
Gastroenterol Nurs. 2010 Jan-Feb;33(1):28-35. doi: 10.1097/SGA.0b013e3181cd199f.
Recent attention has focused on the potential for the transmission of bacterial biofilms, Clostridium difficile, and other types of pathogenic spore-forming bacteria during gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy. This study investigates whether GI endoscopy is a risk factor for the transmission of bacterial biofilms and the endospores or vegetative cells of pathogenic spore-forming bacteria including C. difficile. The medical literature was reviewed to evaluate the risk of the transmission of these infectious agents during GI endoscopy. No cases of a GI endoscope transmitting the endospores or vegetative cells of C. difficile or another type of pathogenic spore-forming bacterium were identified during this review. Also, no studies were identified during this review that document a case of infection causally linked to a bacterial biofilm that formed on the internal surfaces of and was transmitted by a GI endoscope that was reprocessed in accordance with currently accepted and well-established reprocessing standards. Gastrointestinal endoscopy is not reported to be a risk factor for the transmission of bacterial biofilms, C. difficile, or the endospores (and vegetative cells) of any other type of pathogenic spore-forming bacterium (or any type of infectious agent). Strict adherence to currently accepted and well-established reprocessing standards is necessary to prevent transmission of biofilms, C. difficile, and other infectious agents during GI endoscopy.
近期，人们的注意力集中在胃肠道（GI）内镜检查过程中细菌生物膜、艰难梭菌及其他类型致病性产芽孢细菌传播的可能性上。本研究调查GI内镜检查是否是细菌生物膜以及包括艰难梭菌在内的致病性产芽孢细菌的芽孢或营养细胞传播的危险因素。回顾医学文献以评估这些传染源在GI内镜检查期间传播的风险。在本次回顾中，未发现GI内镜传播艰难梭菌或其他类型致病性产芽孢细菌的芽孢或营养细胞的病例。此外，本次回顾中也未发现有研究记录与按照当前公认且完善的再处理标准进行再处理的GI内镜内表面形成并传播的细菌生物膜有因果关联的感染病例。据报道，GI内镜检查并非细菌生物膜、艰难梭菌或任何其他类型致病性产芽孢细菌（或任何类型传染源）的芽孢（及营养细胞）传播的危险因素。严格遵守当前公认且完善的再处理标准对于预防GI内镜检查期间生物膜、艰难梭菌及其他传染源的传播是必要的。
