Microbiological assessment of flexible endoscope reprocessing protocol with a key concern of biofilm forming and multidrug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Endoscopy has significantly extended in recent years as a new instrument for reliable diagnosis and therapeutic process. However, one of the most serious health-care issues is the failure of the flexible endoscope reprocessing techniques. So, it was crucial demand in this study to make microbial assessment to this process. This study was carried out in Central Sterile Services Department (CSSD) unite of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz University Hospital in Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, in which sample collected under a sceptic condition before and after endoscopes reprocessing, then culturing in the laboratory for CFU count and bacterial identification. No significant bacterial count was recorded for almost all reprocessed endoscope tested, but the concern was the type of isolated bacteria, sixteen different bacterial genera were identified with 16S rRNA gene encoding sequence analysis including Pseudomonas aeruginosa. antimicrobial susceptibility test was investigated, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MW846272) was multi-drug resistance strain (MDR) and capable of biofilm formation on Congo Red Agar plate (CRA) with great aggregation in poly-saccharides matrix that was visible in TEM imaging. Generally, good reprocessing technique may reduce the bacterial count to non-significant level but not necessary to eliminate all bacterial contamination that may still considered as human health hazard.