Endoscopic procedures have been linked to serious infections, in particular Carbapenamase-producing Enterocacteriaceae (CPE). Industry guidelines are currently being reviewed to address these potentially catastrophic infections. A specialist Infection Control working party was established by GESA and developed Draft Guidelines addressing CPE which were circulated widely but not adopted by the GESA Board.
A second working party has been established by GESA to review the ICE Guidelines in totality. This GENCA Position Statement is to assist all endoscope users in making informed decisions, in the interim, in conjunction with the GESA statement released in August 2016.
Endoscopic procedures have been associated with a worldwide risk of fatal, procedure induced multi resistant infections such as pseudomonas and Gram negative Carbapenamase-producing Enterocacteriaceae (CPE).
Contributing factors:
• Inadequate cleaning of endoscopes
• Design of some types of endoscope eg elevator channel in duodenoscopes
• Inadequate disinfection of all channels
• Failure to dry scopes adequately prior to and during storage
• Inadequate cleaning of reusable endoscopic accessories
• Reuse of single use endoscopic equipment
• Contamination of Automated Endoscope Reprocessor (AER)
• Contaminated Air/water bottle and /or non-sterile water
• Insufficient training of reprocessing personnel
• Lack of regulation of reprocessing procedures