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Presumed Autoclave Failure Due to False-Positive Spore Strip Tests

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Inge Gurevich ,
Joyce E. Holmes  and
Burke A. Cunha
Inge Gurevich
Affiliation:
Infection Control Section, Infectious Disease Division, Department of Medicine and Department of Pathology, Nassau Hospital, Mineola, New York
Joyce E. Holmes
Affiliation:
Infection Control Section, Infectious Disease Division, Department of Medicine and Department of Pathology, Nassau Hospital, Mineola, New York
Burke A. Cunha*
Affiliation:
Infection Control Section, Infectious Disease Division, Department of Medicine and Department of Pathology, Nassau Hospital, Mineola, New York
*
Infectious Disease Division, Nassau Hospital, Mineola, NY 11501
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Abstract

The sterilizing processes in autoclaves and ethylene oxide sterilizers are challenged on a regular basis with a controlled inoculum of spores from two Bacillus species. Within a two-day period in March 1980, the seven autoclaves at this 550-bed hospital appeared to have failed in their function of killing spores on 18 out of 46 test strips. A shut-down of the autoclaves and a massive investigation failed to identify any mechanical, physical, or human failures. However, after 48 hours, it was found that the broth used as growth medium contained a contaminant, Bacillus coagulans, that resulted in broth turbidity at 55°C. Incubating an uninoculated tube of trypticase soy broth (TSB) for quality control at 55°C in addition to the usual 37°C quality check is a recommended safeguard against such occurrences.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 3 , Issue 5 , October 1982 , pp. 388 - 396
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 1982

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References

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