Microbiological Load of Ethylene Oxide Sterilized Medical Devices and its Elimination by Cobalt 60 Source.

OBJECTIVE To determine the residing microbial flora of ethylene oxide (EtO) sterilized medical devices and optimization of safe dose of gamma radiation (Cobalt 60 source) for the complete elimination of microbial load. STUDY DESIGN Experimental study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Department of Biotechnology, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Pakistan from September 2014 to June 2015. METHODOLOGY Thirty-six samples of EtO sterilized medical devices of same batch of three different companies were collected for this study. Isolation and enumeration of microbes were done by using different selective and differential media. Gram staining and biochemically characterization by API 20 (Bio Merieux, France) kit was done for identification of the microorganisms. The medical devices having high microbial load were sent to Pakistan Radiation Services (PARAS) for gamma irradiations at 3 different selected doses (20 KGy, 25 KGy, and 30 KGy). RESULTS Different types of Gram positive bacteria (Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus andBacillus subtilis) were isolated from the EtO sterilized samples. Gram negative bacteria and fungi were not detected on these medical devices. Gamma irradiations results showed that 30 KGy was optimized dose for complete elimination of microbial flora on endotracheal, Nelaton, and tracheostomy tubes. CONCLUSION Gamma radiations (Co 60 source) effectively decontaminate the microbial flora on the equipment previously sterilized by the ethylene oxide gas; and 30 KGy is the optimized dose for all these medical devices.