Multi Dose Vial Contaminates

In hospital units, there are multiple types of patients that are at an increased risk for systemic infection above that of the average hospitalized patient. These patients include neutropenic oncology patients, immune suppressed transplant patients, and AIDS patients. Annually there are numerous nosocomial related infections reported on these classes of patients. The treatment of these infections have resulted in a high mortality rate for the patient and increased cost for the health care system. There has been a considerable amount of research done in tracking and preventing nosocomial infections. In this research, there has been a link to airborne contaminates and an increased risk of respiratory and surgical wound infections. Little is know about how airborne contaminates effect the multi-dose and single use vials when air is injected into them before drawing up the medication. Our long-term goal is to identify airborne contaminates as a cause of bloodstream infections so that steps can be taken to prevent patients at increased from harm. The specific hypothesis is that airborne contaminates can enter a multi-dose vial when air is injected into the multi-dose vial to relieve pressure and the use of a syringe filter can prevent contamination. We base our aim on current knowledge that 1) airborne contaminates can cause infections, 2) multi-dose vials are a source of bloodstream infections and 3) central venous catheter hubs are contaminated with pathogens causing bloodstream infections. The specific aims are to 1) determine if airborne contaminates can enter a solution through air being injected into it with a non-filtered needle and syringe, 2) determine if airborne contaminates can be prevented from entering a solution through air being injected into it using a filtered needle and syringe, 3) determine if multi-dose vials currently in clinical use are contaminated and 4) determine the number and type of pathogens that will grow from the cultured air and multi-dose vials