Publications on Infection Prevention

Find a selection of relevant publications, studies and Olympus white papers on endoscope reprocessing and infection prevention here.

Understanding the Differences in Sampling & Culturing of Endoscopes

Gain insides about sampling & culturing of flexible endoscopes, why it is essential in infection prevention and why a unified approach is so important.

Microbiology: The Role of the Microbiome

Learn more about the microbiome: what is the microbiome, why are microbiomes important for our health, and how to improve infection prevention in endoscopy.

Microbiology: The Basics of Bacteria

Important facts: the definition, the difference between commensal vs harmful and how to minimize infection risks in endoscopy.

Why Disinfection Remains the Standard for Reprocessing Semi-critical Flexible Endoscopes

The differences between disinfection and sterilization, and why liquid chemical sterilization does not sterilize your flexible endoscopes.

Evolution in Disinfection and Sterilization

Find out more about the Spaulding Classification and if now is the right time to reassess the standards used to measure medical device processing.

Hung Out to Dry: The Importance of Endoscope Channel Drying Prior to Storage

The maintenance of dry storage conditions can help to prevent bacterial growth and preserve the cleanliness of the reprocessed endoscope.

Delays in Endoscope Reprocessing … and the Biofilms Within

Insights and important facts why reprocessing of endoscopes as soon as possible after the use of procedures is essential.

Tips, Tricks and Insights for Endoscope Sampling and Culturing

Employing an endoscope sampling and culturing program can be very beneficial in detecting contamination before patient use.

US endoscopy study: Sampling, culturing, and evaluating correctly

The study has shown that implementing a sampling and culturing program helps to increase patient safety and improves internal quality assurance.

Nationwide systematic survey of duodenoscopes, PROCESS 1

Study from the Netherlands investigated the prevalence of contamination among duodenoscopes used for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).

Dutch study on contamination risks from duodenoscopes and linear ultrasound endoscopes, PROCESS 2

A nationwide study in the Netherlands investigated the prevalence of contaminated duodenoscopes and linear ultrasound endoscopes.

Increase in infections involving gram-negative multidrug-resistant bacteria

In recent years, infections involving multi-resistant gram-negative bacteria (MRGN) have increased dramatically worldwide.

Clostridioides difficile: Relevance, ribotypes, and endoscope reprocessing

If flexible endoscopes are cleaned and disinfected thoroughly, endoscopic procedures pose no risk in terms of the transmission of Clostridioides difficile.

Mobile colistin resistance (MCR-1) transmitted via a duodenoscope

Multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria are increasingly demonstrating resistance even to reserve antibiotics such as colistin.

No evidence of SARS-CoV-2 on endoscopes

Pilot study investigates how effectively SARS-CoV-2 is removed during reprocessing. The risk of transmission is very low.

Outbreak of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Klebsiella pneumoniae

When outbreaks involving XDR pathogens occur, a high level of awareness and risk-reduction measures are required to prevent cases of transmission.

Review: Risk of endoscope-related CJD/vCJD cases is very low

Review reprocessing of flexible endoscope in regard to different types of Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease. Risk of endoscope-related cases is very low.