Riley et al.(2424 Riley R, Beanland C, Bos H. Establishing the shelf life of flexible colonoscopes. Gastroenterol Nurs. 2002;25(3):114-9. https://doi.org/10.1097/00001610-200205000-00006 https://doi.org/10.1097/00001610-2002050...
) 2002, Prospective observational Level 3 |
1 colonoscope 30 samples |
Bacterial growth: Up to 5 CFU/ml - acceptable; 5-20 CFU/ml moderate; > 20 CFU/ml high. |
Within 24 hours of storage, there was no microbiological growth. In 168 hours, there was growth in two samples of 1 CFU/ml of coagulase negative Staphylococcus and 1 CFU/ml of Micrococcus sp. |
7 days |
Rejchrt et al.(2121 Rejchrt S, Cermák P, Pavlatová L, Micková E, Bures J. Bacteriologic testing of endoscopes after high-level disinfection. Gastrointest Endosc. 2004;60(1):76-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0016-5107(04)01313-6 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0016-5107(04)01...
) 2004, Prospective observational Level 3 |
10 endoscopes (gastroscope, duodenoscope and colonoscope) Total of 135 samples |
Acceptable microbiological growth of commensal microorganisms |
Positive culture: 3%. Corynebacterium pseudodiphteriae (2nd day) Staphylococcus epidermidis (2nd and 3rd day at two different points) He did not mention the amount of colony forming units found. |
5 days |
Osborne et al.(2323 Osborne S, Reynolds S, George N, Lindemayer F, Gill A, Chalmers M. Challenging endoscopy reprocessing guidelines: a prospective study investigating the safe shelf life of flexible endoscopes in a tertiary gastroenterology unit. Endoscopy. 2007;39(9):825-30. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2007-966766 https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2007-966766...
) 2007, Prospective observational Level 3 |
23 endoscopes Total of 194 samples Gastroscope, 101 Echoendoscope, 8 Colonoscope, 74 Duodenoscope, 11 |
Acceptable microbiological growth of microorganisms without clinical importance |
Overall contamination rate: 15.5%. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus and Micrococcus were the most common microorganisms (6.7% and 3.1%). Bacillus, Corynebacterium, fungus, Streptomyces (n = 29) 12.9% - 1st day 10% - Between 1st and 2nd day 17.2% - Between 2nd and 3rd day 25% - Between 3rd and 4th day 37.5% - Between 6th and 7th day Yeast between the 5th and 6th day of storage |
5 days |
Vergis et al.(2828 Vergis AS, Thomson D, Pieroni P, Dhalla S. Reprocessing flexible gastrointestinal endoscopes after a period of disuse: is it necessary?. Endoscopy. 2007;39(8):737-9. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2007-966644 https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2007-966644...
) 2007, Multiphase observational Level 3 |
4 duodenoscopes and 3 colonoscopes Phase 1 and 2 70 samples Stage 3 14 samples |
Acceptable culture of microorganisms of no clinical importance; did not detail the types. |
Phase 1: (6/70) positive culture ranging from 10 to 200 CFU/ml. Predominant growth in the first 5 days. Phase 2: No growth Phase 3: Sample collection in 24 hours and 7 days Positive culture on the 7th day - 700 CFU/ml. All positive cultures recovered Staphylococcus epidermidis. |
7 days |
Alfa et al.(44 Alfa MJ, Sepehri S, Olson N, Wald A. Establishing a clinically relevant bioburden benchmark: a quality indicator for adequate reprocessing and storage of flexible gastrointestinal endoscopes. Am J Infect Control. 2012;40(3):233-6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2011.02.023 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2011.02.0...
) 2012, Prospective Level 3 |
5 gastroscopes 9 colonoscopes 6 duodenoscopes Total of 383 samples |
Acceptable microbiological growth < 200 CFU/ml |
5.7% (22/383) contaminated samples after 48 hours: (9/22) Bacillus gram-positive 10 CFU/ml; (11/22) Gram-positive Coccus: Highest microbiological load found 170 CFU/ml. (1/22) Gram-negative Bacillus Pseudomonas luteola 10 CFU/ml; (1/22) Fungi 10 CFU/ml; |
2 days |
Ingram et al.(2525 Ingram J, Gaines P, Kite R, Morgan M, Spurling S, Winsett RP. Evaluation of medically significant bacteria in colonoscopes after 8 weeks of shelf life in open air storage. Gastroenterol Nurs. 2013;36(2):106-11. https://doi.org/10.1097/SGA.0b013e318288c715 https://doi.org/10.1097/SGA.0b013e318288...
) 2013, Longitudinal prospective Level 3 |
4 colonoscopes Total of 32 samples |
Clinically important microorganism growth* |
Recovery of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus hominis with a maximum of 2 CFU/ml in two samples collected on the 14th day of storage. And recovery of ≤ 1 CFU/ml of Staphylococcus epidermidis on the 42nd day. |
56 days |
Grandval et al.(2222 Grandval P, Hautefeuille G, Marchetti B, Pineau L, Laugier R. Evaluation of a storage cabinet for heat-sensitive endoscopes in a clinical setting. J Hosp Infect. 2013;84(1):71-6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2013.01.013 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2013.01.0...
) 2013, Experimental Level 2 |
10 gastroscopes 11 colonoscopes 4 duodenoscopes 41 samples for each type of storage |
< 5 CFU/ml (acceptable level) between 5 and 25 CFU/ml (alert level) > 25 CFU/ml or growth of any potentially pathogenic microorganism (action level) |
Drying cabinet: 56.1% without contamination 43.9% < 5 CFU/ml Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, Micrococcus sp., Bacillus sp. Conventional closet: 41.4% without contamination 46.8% < 5 CFU/ml 5% between 5 and 25 CFU/ml Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, Micrococcus sp., Bacillus sp. (6 and 7 CFU/ml) 7% > 150 CFU/ml Strenotrophomonas Maltophilia, Enterobacter cloacae and Serratia odorifera |
3 days |
Brock et al.(2727 Brock AS, Steed LL, Freeman J, Garry B, Malpas P, Cotton P. Endoscope storage time: assessment of microbial colonization up to 21 days after reprocessing. Gastrointest Endosc. 2015;81(5):1150-4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gie.2014.09.053 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gie.2014.09.05...
) 2015, Prospective observational Level 3 |
4 duodenoscopes 4 colonoscopes 2 gastroscopes Total of 96 samples |
Growth ≤ 100 colony forming units (CFU)/ml |
Global contamination rate: 29.2% Cultures: Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, Micrococcus, Bacillus Corynebacterium and Propionibacterium acnes. Maximum of 49 CFU/ml Microorganisms with pathogenic potential: Aureobasidium pullulans (1st day); Enterococcus (7th day); a-hemolitic Streptococcus (14th day); Candida parapsilosis (day 21) All with growth ≤ 1 CFU/ml |
21 days |
Scanlon et al.(2626 Scanlon P, Flaherty K, Reilly EA, Barth EG, Potter-Bynoe G, Cardini J, et al. Association between storage interval and contamination of reprocessed flexible endoscopes in a pediatric gastrointestinal procedural unit. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2017;38(2):131-5. https://doi.org/10.1017/ice.2016.260 https://doi.org/10.1017/ice.2016.260...
) 2017, Transverse Level 3 |
6 gastroscopes 2 duodenoscope 1 colonoscope Phase 1 27 samples Level 2 131 samples |
Microbiological growth ≤ 100 CFU/ml |
Phase 1 - Positive cultures: 11.1%. All ≤ 100 CFU/ml. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (On the 69th and 85th day of storage) Micrococcus (69th day of storage) Phase 2 - Positive cultures: 5.3%. All ≤ 100 CFU/ml. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (7th, 14th, 28th, 42nd day of storage) Neisseria subflava (28th day of storage) Bacillus species (42nd and 56th day of storage) Viridans group streptococci (28th day of storage) Candida albicans growth: 10 CFU/ml on the 14th day of storage. |
56 days |
Singh et al.(3030 Singh H, Duerksen DR, Schultz G, Reidy C, DeGagne P, Olson N, et al. Impact of cleaning monitoring combined with channel purge storage on elimination of escherichia coli and environmental bacteria from duodenoscopes. Gastrointest Endosc. 2018;88(2):292-302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gie.2018.02.018 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gie.2018.02.01...
) 2018, Experimental Level 2 |
3 duodenoscopes Total of 119 samples |
Any growth of Escherichia coli or Enterococcus faecalis and/or ≥100 CFU/ml of any other microorganism is not acceptable. Inoculated suspension of E. Coli and E. faecallis at an approximate concentration of 108 CFU/ml before applying the designed protocols. |
Protocol 1 - Cleaning and disinfection without alcohol flush (n = 69) Enterococcus faecalis < 9 CFU/ml - 17 samples 10-99 CFU/ml - 20 samples ≥ 100 CFU/ml - 5 samples Other microorganisms ≥ 100 CFU/ml - 9 samples Protocol 2 - Cleaning and disinfection followed by an alcohol flush (n = 20) Enterococcus faecalis < 9 CFU/ml - 4 samples 10-99 CFU/ml - 7 samples ≥ 100 CFU/ml - 4 samples Other microorganisms ≥ 100 CFU/ml - 1 samples Protocol 3 - Cleaning + extra cleaning and disinfection without alcohol flush (n = 30) Enterococcus faecalis < 9 CFU/ml - 6 samples 10-99 CFU/ml - 13 samples ≥ 100 CFU/ml - 2 samples Other microorganisms ≥ 100 CFU/ml - 9 samples Other microorganisms identified in duodenoscopes were: Bacillus spp., Paenibacillus spp., Brevibacillus spp., Neisseria spp., Streptococcus spp. and Kocuria spp. |
1 a 3 days |
Mallete et al.(2929 Mallette KI, Pieroni P, Dhalla SS. Bacterial presence on flexible endoscopes vs time since disinfection. World J Gastrointest Endosc. 2018;10(1):51-5. https://doi.org/10.4253/wjge.v10.i1.51 https://doi.org/10.4253/wjge.v10.i1.51...
) 2018, Prospective observational Level 3 |
19 gastroscopes 24 colonoscopes 5 duodenoscopes Total of 164 samples |
Microbiological results below 200 CFU/ml. |
There was no growth > 200 CFU/ml within 7 days. Type of microorganism not evaluated. There was no description of all growths per day of storage. 18 contaminated samples. 80 CFU/ml (highest microbiological load found). There was no significant difference comparing the microbiological growth from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 days to 7 days. |
7 days |