1369 How Clean is Clean? Effectiveness of Disinfection of Thermometers on a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Background/aims: Nosocomial infections are responsible for major morbidity in neonates admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Hygienic measures reduce nosocomal infections. We assessed the effectiveness of the disinfection procedure of the (rectal) thermometer. Method: This study was performed at the NICU of the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) with a capacity of 24 neonates. Thermometers of admitted neonates were cultured two times. First after the usual disinfection procedure, consisting of disinfecting the thermometer with an (unsterile) gauze with alcohol 70%. Secondly after a novel disinfection procedure, consisting of immersion of thermometers in alcohol 70% for 15 minutes. Thermometers were shaken in brain-heart infusion medium. Inocculated medium was incubated up to 48 hours at 37°C and was subsequently plated out on blood agar and on McConkey plates. Bacterial isolates were indentified based on gross colony morphology, microscopic examination (Gram straining), and biochemical tests. Results: Initially, 16 of 21 thermometers were contaminated with micro-organisms. In the second phase, 75% of the thermometers where contaminated if the immersion procedure was not performed, compared to 30% after immersion in alcohol 70% (p< 0.05). Table Table Conclusion: Immersion of thermometers for 15 minutes in alcohol 70%, results in a significant reduction of the number of (Gram-negative) microorganisms on thermometers.