Contamination of anesthesia circuits by pathogens.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Evaluation of contamination of anesthesia circuits by collecting 56 culture samples from the circular system; previously reprocessed tracheas by disinfection with 1% hypochlorite or 2% glutaraldehyde after being washed in non-sterile water and soap and dried by using compressed air and stored in surgical grade paper; and from other places of the non-reprocessed respiratory circuit, before anesthetic procedures. METHODS Samples from the inspiratory and expiratory branches of the tracheas, canister, soda-lime, and collector jar (drain) through swab in Stuart medium and streaked in Agar blood, Mac Conkey, and Sabouraud growth media. RESULTS The level of contamination with fungus and bacteria in the inspiratory and expiratory branches of tracheas reached up to 39.3% in some sites; in some cases, more than one microorganism was present, 75% fungal and 25% bacterial contamination. Cultures were positive for Candida sp., Dermatophytus sp., Penicillium sp., Aspergillus sp., Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Contamination was observed in 25% of the canisters with growth of Candida sp., Penicillium sp., Dermatophytus sp., Aspergillus sp., and Fusarium sp. In the collector jar, a contamination rate of 36% was observed with growth of Candida sp., Dermatophytus sp., S. saprophyticus and Acinetobacter baumannii. Microorganisms did not grow in soda-lime cultures. CONCLUSIONS In all sites investigated except for soda-lime growth of microorganisms was observed with the possibility of cross infection.