Table 4 Current situation of detection methods on final rinse water of flexible endoscope in 290 medical institutions

Test area on detection and culture of final rinse water

 With independent laboratory in infection control

10

3.45

9

6.98

1

0.62

 No independent laboratory for infection control, but areas dedicated to monitoring of environmental hygiene in the microbiology lab

100

34.48

58

44.96

42

26.09

 No independent laboratory for infection control, and no special area dedicated to monitoring of environmental hygiene in the microbiology lab

96

33.1

58

44.96

38

23.6

 Send to the third party company for inspection

79

27.24

4

3.1

75

46.58

 Other circumstances (sent to higher-level hospitals for inspection)

5

1.72

0

0

5

3.11

What position of personnel completes the detection and culture of final rinse water?

 Infection control specialists responsible for the entire process

41

14.14

22

17.05

19

11.8

 Microbiology lab personnel responsible for the task, but infection control specialists involved in some testing and cultivation work

86

29.66

55

42.64

31

19.25

 Microbiology lab personnel responsible for the task and no involvement from infection control specialists

81

27.93

48

37.21

33

20.5

 Completed by a third party company

82

28.28

4

3.1

78

48.45

The awareness of the testing methods of third-party companies (Include inoculation method, use of plate, culture time, culture temperature)? (n=79)

 Fully aware

11

13.92

3

75

8

10.67

 Partially aware

55

69.62

1

25

54

72

 Completely unaware

13

16.46

0

0

13

17.33

The awareness of the detection method of microbiology lab (Include inoculation method, use of plate, culture time, culture temperature)? (n=196)

 Fully aware

89

45.41

60

51.72

29

36.25

 Partially aware

102

52.04

56

48.28

46

57.5

 Completely unaware

5

2.55

0

0

5

6.25

Detection frequency of final rinse water(n=272)

 Monthly

39

14.34

27

21.26

12

8.28

 Quarterly

193

70.96

86

67.72

107

73.79

 Half-yearly

11

4.04

2

1.57

9

6.21

 Yearly

7

2.57

1

0.79

6

4.14

 Unregularly

22

8.09

11

8.66

11

7.59

Sampling department of final rinse water (n=272)

 Infection control

215

79.04

105

82.68

110

75.86

 Clinical department

137

50.37

69

54.33

68

46.9

 Others (CDC, third party companies, etc.)

16

5.88

7

5.51

9

6.21

Sampling site of final rinse water(n=272)

 Inlet of water supply pipeline

78

28.68

38

29.92

40

27.59

 Outlet-faucet(for rinsing)

247

90.81

118

92.91

129

88.97

 Outlet-irrigation port(For irrigation)

78

28.68

31

24.41

47

32.41

 Other sites

8

2.94

4

3.15

4

2.76

What is the amount of water sampled for final rinsing (n=272)

  1ml

2

0.74

2

1.57

0

0

 5ml

35

12.87

16

12.6

19

13.1

 10ml

105

38.6

55

43.31

50

34.48

 50ml

91

33.46

41

32.28

50

34.48

 100ml

39

14.34

13

10.24

26

17.93

Criteria for the qualification of final rinse water(n=272)

 ≤ 10cfu/100 ml

239

87.58

112

88.19

127

87.59

 ≤ 100 cfu/ml

31

11.4

14

11.02

17

11.72

 ≤ 20 cfu/ml

2

0.74

1

0.79

1

0.69

Several inoculation methods used for final rinse water (n=272)

 1

181

66.54

91

71.65

90

62.07

 2

58

21.32

28

22.05

30

20.69

 3

29

10.66

7

5.51

22

15.17

 Uncertain

4

1.47

1

0.79

3

2.07

Inoculation method of final rinse water (n=272)

 Smear method

116

42.65

52

40.94

64

44.14

 Pouring method

157

57.72

72

56.69

85

58.62

 Filter membrane method

111

40.81

44

34.65

67

46.21

Time of culture for final rinse water (n=272)

 2d

197

72.43

99

77.95

98

67.59

 3d

1

0.37

1

0.79

0

0

 5d

23

8.46

7

5.51

16

11.03

 7d

48

17.65

20

15.75

28

19.31

 Uncertain

3

1.1

0

0

3

2.07

Temperature of culture for final rinse water (n=272)

 17–23℃

43

15.81

24

18.9

19

13.1

 28–30℃

19

6.99

4

3.15

15

10.34

 35–37℃

208

76.47

99

77.95

109

75.17

 Uncertain

2

0.74

0

0

2

1.38

Types of plates for culturing final rinse water (n=272)

 Nutritional agar plate

225

82.72

105

82.68

120

82.76

 R2A plate

40

14.71

18

14.17

22

15.17

 Others

3

1.1

2

1.57

1

0.69

 Uncertain

4

1.47

2

1.57

2

1.38

Is pathogenic microorganism species regularly detected in final rinse water? (n=272)

 Regularly

87

31.99

27

21.26

60

41.38

 Unregularly, detected only when needed

173

63.6

96

75.59

77

53.1

 Never

12

4.41

4

3.15

8

5.52