[Role of a hygiene department in the control of respirator disinfection].

Different methods of disinfection of ventilators are used in hospitals. They are chosen according to the type of apparatus, the configuration of its internal circuit, the system of disinfection available and the degree of contamination. There are three types of disinfection: a) partial disinfection, b) partial internal disinfection by connection to an apparatus of disinfection with liquid formaldehyde, c) total automatic internal and external disinfection with formaldehyde powder. The hospital public health team controls the different disinfection procedures. Samples were taken from 13 places on four ventilators (Engström, Bennett, Servo 900, RPR). They were taken on polyvalent and on three selective culture media (gram positive, gram negative and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Three criteria were defined: absence of contamination, limited contamination and widespread contamination. After disinfection, satisfactory results were always observed. However, these results were observed only immediately after disinfection and before stocking and transport. The results of these controls, communicated within 48 h to the doctors, allow us to check the reliability of the method used.