Bacterial Contamination and Disinfection of Stethoscopes: A Knowledge Gap among Health Care Personnel of a Tertiary Care Hospital of Rural Bengal

Universal use of stethoscope for examination of patients by health care personnel makes it a potential source for spread of nosocomial infection. A cross sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care centre of Eastern Bengal during August-September 2013 to find out incidence and spectrum of bacterial contamination of stethoscopes and knowledge, attitude and practice about cleaning of stethoscopes of health care providers. After getting informed consent, stethoscopes of 100 health care providers were sampled. An anonymous study questionnaire was used to obtain information regarding stethoscope cleaning habits and knowledge of the medical practitioners. Statistical analysis was done by Graph Pad InStat 3.1 version. Fifty two percent of stethoscopes surveyed from the visiting doctors, residents and medical students were found to be contaminated. Total 76 bacteria were isolated, of which 75% were Gram positive organisms. Among the isolates, Bacillus subtilis (36.84%) was prevalent organism followed by Acinetobacter spp (17.11%). Resident doctors and doctors posted in hospital emergency had the most contaminated stethoscopes. Two (40%) S.aureus was found to be Methicillin resistant. Amikacin and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid were the two most sensitive drugs against the Gram Negative bacilli. All the health care professionals were conscious of bacterial contamination of stethoscopes, still only 16% of them practised disinfection of stethoscopes. Apprehension of damaging stethoscopes and lack of knowledge regarding good disinfectant were the underlying causes that prevent cleaning of the stethoscopes. This study confirmed that stethoscopes used by the health care providers of this hospital were contaminated with pathogenic and potential pathogenic bacteria. Study detected a definite deficiency in knowledge among health care provider about the disinfection of stethoscopes. So there is a need to address the issue in an urgent basis.