Dispositivo per l’igienizzazione di strumenti medici

La presente invenzione si riferisce ad un dispositivo per l’igienizzazione di strumenti medici, in particolare di stetoscopi. In particolare, la presente invenzione riguarda un dispositivo di igienizzazione o sterilizzazione (1) di uno stetoscopio (S) comprendente un involucro (2) che alloggia dei mezzi di igienizzazione o sterilizzazione (3, 3’, 3”), un’unità di comando e controllo (4) ed una batteria (5), detto dispositivo (1) comprendendo mezzi di aggancio allo stetoscopio (S) da igienizzare o sterilizzare, detti mezzi di aggancio essendo mezzi di aggancio magnetico o elettromagnetico (12), mezzi di aggancio meccanico (13) o una combinazione di essi, caratterizzato dal fatto che detto involucro (2) presenta verso l’esterno una rientranza che forma un cono (11) rovesciato, la cui base è aperta e sostanzialmente a livello della superficie esterna dell’involucro (2), detti mezzi di igienizzazione o sterilizzazione (3, 3’, 3”) essendo disposti in corrispondenza di detto cono (11). (FIGURA 1A

Is it possible to sanitize athletes’ shoes?

Context: Footwear should be designed to avoid trauma and injury to the skin of the feet that can favor bacterial and fungal infections. Procedures and substances for sanitizing the interior of shoes are uncommon but are important aspects of primary prevention against foot infections and unpleasant odor. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of a sanitizing technique for reducing bacterial and fungal contamination of footwear. Design: Crossover study. Setting: Mens Sana basketball team. Patients or Other Participants: Twenty-seven male athletes and 4 coaches (62 shoes). Intervention(s): The experimental protocol required a first sample (swab), 1/shoe, at time 0 from inside the shoes of allathletes before the sanitizing technique began and a second sample at time 1, after about 4 weeks, April 2012 to May 2012, of daily use of the sanitizing technique. Main Outcome Measure(s): The differences before and after use of the sanitizing technique for total bacterial count at 368C and 228C for Staphylococcus spp, yeasts, molds, Enterococcus spp, Pseudomonas spp, Escherichia coli, and total coliform bacteria were evaluated. Results: Before use of the sanitizing technique, the total bacterial counts at 368C and 228C and for Staphylococcus sppwere greater by a factor of 5.8 (95% confidence interval [CI] ¼3.42, 9.84), 5.84 (95% CI¼ 3.45, 9.78), and 4.78 (95% CI¼ 2.84,8.03), respectively. All the other comparisons showed a reduction in microbial loads, whereas E coli and coliforms wereno longer detected. No statistically significant decrease inyeasts (P ¼ .0841) or molds (P ¼ .6913) was recorded probably because of low contamination. Conclusions: The sanitizing technique significantly reduced the bacterial presence in athletes’ shoes. Key Words: athlete’s foot, foot infections, bacterial infections, fungal infections, basketball, hygien

automatic vending machines contamination a pilot study

Hot-drinks vending machines are disseminated worldwide and millions of drinks are served every day. Because of a small number of studies on hot-drinks related illnesses, the aim of this pilot study was to identify the presence and load of bacterial species, potentially harmful for consumers, within hot-drinks vending machines external critical surfaces. This preliminary cross sectional study was carried out in April 2015 at the University of Siena, Italy. Samples were taken from the critical surfaces of 4 hot-drinks vending machines (VM); the analyzed VM's critical surfaces were: Dispense Areas, Nozzles and Glass-Holders. The samples were sown on selective culture media: Plate Count Agar (PCA) at 22°C and 36°C, Slanetz and Bartely Agar (SBA) and Mannitol Salt Agar (MSA). Total Viable Count (TVC) at 36°C and 22°C was assessed for mesophilic and psychrophilic contamination. Results were expressed in terms of average CFU/cm2. Descriptive and statistical analyses were performed in order to assess which surface was the most contaminated. The nozzles resulted to be the most contaminated critical surface, showing average values over the limits in all the culture media (PCA 36°C, PCA 22°C, MSA and SBA). The statistical analysis showed that the nozzles were significantly more contaminated (p &lt;0.05) than Dispense Areas and Glass-holders both in PCA 36°C and in PCA 22°C. Given the high number of CFU/cm2, VM may constitute a potential threat for consumer's health, reason for which further studies are recommendable.</p

Hosting the Unwanted: Stethoscope Contamination Threat

Aims: Stethoscopes represent a vehicle of bacteria and other microorganisms and may play a role in the spread of health-care associated infections (HAIs). We aimed to evaluate the contamination levels of stethoscopes before and after use of a disinfecting technique (DT). Study Design: Matched cross-over study. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in July 2012 and involved three hospitals in Siena Province (Italy). Two were public hospitals with about 750 and 140 beds, and the other was private with 40 beds. Methodology: We evaluated: i) contamination on 74 shared and non shared stethoscopes; ii) bacterial load before and after use of a DT. Total bacterial count (TBC) at 36ºC and 22ºC, Staphylococcus spp., molds, Enterococcus spp., Pseudomonas spp., Escherichia coli and total coliforms bacteria were evaluated. Mann Whitney and Wilcoxon tests were used for comparisons (p<0.05). Results: Before DT, 49 stethoscopes were positive for TBC at 36ºC, 48 for TBC at 22ºC, 40 for Staphylococcus spp., 18 for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, 33 for coliforms (9 for Escherichia coli), 5 for Enterococcus spp. and 2 for molds. After cleaning, the percentage reduction in CFUs was close at 100% in most comparisons. Shared stethoscopes proved to be less contaminated than non shared ones (p<0.05). Conclusion: Our results suggest that stethoscopes may be potential vehicles of HAIs. The DT was effective in reducing bacterial contamination

Device for the hygienisation of medical instruments

The present invention relates to a device for the hygienization of medical instruments, in particular stethoscopes. In particular, the present invention relates to a hygienization or sterilization system (1) of a medical-healthcare instrument, comprising a hygienization or sterilization device (2) and a coupling member (3) associable to said medical-healthcare instrument, characterized in that the coupling between said coupling member (3) and said device (2) is actuated by magnetic coupling means

Dispositivo per l’igienizzazione di lenti a contatto

Sistema per la disinfezione delle lenti a contatto con tecnologia UVC da LE

Dispositivo per l’igienizzazione di strumenti medici

La presente invenzione si riferisce ad un dispositivo per l’igienizzazione di strumenti medici, in particolare di stetoscopi. In particolare, la presente invenzione riguarda un sistema di igienizzazione o sterilizzazione (1) di uno strumento medico-sanitario, comprendente un dispositivo di igienizzazione o sterilizzazione (2) ed un organo di accoppiamento (3) associabile a detto strumento medico-sanitario, caratterizzato dal fatto che l’accoppiamento tra detto organo di accoppiamento (3) e detto dispositivo (2) è attuato da mezzi di accoppiamento magnetico

How much ozone bactericidal activity is compromised by plasma components?

Aims: Evaluation of bactericidal effect of different concentrations of ozone when used (a) as a gas, or (b) dissolved in saline. The addition of hydrogen peroxide or 4-hydroxynonenal dissolved in saline was also tested, as well as the effect of human plasma. Methods and Results: Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant Staph. aureus (MRSA), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, suspended in their culture media were tested. While all bacteria suspended in protein-free saline were killed at high ozone concentrations, they survived when as little as 5% human plasma was present. Hydrogen peroxide was 100-fold less active than ozone and needed to remain in contact with bacteria for at least 60 min. 4-hydroxynonenal (2 lmol l)1) was inhibitory for proliferation of both Staph. aureus and MRSA, but not for Ps. aeruginosa. Conclusions: Ozone and the cascade of its derivative products are potent bactericidal agents, but even small amounts of human plasma, hence of hydro- and liposoluble antioxidants, in bacterial suspensions inhibit oxidation and protect bacteria. Significance and Impact of the Study: Any substantial in vivo cytocidal effect of ozone and its derivatives can be excluded. On the other hand, topical and continuous action of various ozone preparations remains valuable in a variety of skin and mucosal infections

A new UV-LED device for automatic disinfection of stethoscope membranes

Background Stethoscopes are widely used by doctors and nurses. Poor stethoscope hygiene is a potential source of nosocomial infection. This study aimed to propose an innovative solution, based on the latest advances in ultraviolet (UV) light-emitting diodes (LEDs), for disinfecting stethoscope membranes automatically and efficiently. Methods Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterococcus faecalis were sown on 28 stethoscope membranes and then transferred to Petri dishes. Treatment involved illuminating exposed Petri dishes with a UVC LED for 1 minute. For each microbe, the number of colony-forming units (cfu) at 36°C was compared in control and treated dishes using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to assess percent reductions in bacteria. Statistical significance was set at 99%. Results A significant reduction in cfu counts after UV treatment (P .01). Conclusion The stethoscope, symbol of medicine and health care professionals, has been demonstrated to be a carrier of microorganisms. The treatment technique was effective and efficient in disinfecting the membranes. These promising results represent a step forward toward eliminating stethoscope membrane contamination with an innovative approach