Amino acid and glucose injection with electrolytes is widely used in clinical practice for supplying water,electrolytes,and nutrients to patients.However,poor hygiene management in the preparation of infusions will give rise to microbial contamination and the continuous administration of contaminated infusions will increase the risk of infection.We therefore inspected infusions and infusion lines (inside and outside of three-way stopcock,its connections and rubber stopper).Though no microorganisms were detected in 110 infusion solution samples,microorganisms were isolated from 28 of 95 samples taken from the infusion lines.The rate of microbial contamination for the inside of three-way stopcocks was 11.3 % (6/53 samples),and for the inside of 3-way stopcocks used in infusions that were indwelled for more than 96 hours the contamination rate was 33.3%,higher than that for shorter indwelling times.Staphylococcus epidermidis ,Staphylococcus warneri ,and fungi were isolated from the inside of the three-way stopcocks tested.The rates of microbial contamination for the three-way stopcocks and the rubber stoppers were 71.4% (15/21)and 33.3% (7/21),respectively.From samples taken from them,Acinetobacter radioresistens ,Staphylococcus lentus ,Burkholderia cepacia ,and Stenotrophomonas maltphilia were frequently isolated.
In conclusion,there is always the possibility of microbial contamination in infusion lines and in order to prevent it,it is necessary to exercise strict hygiene management regarding the preparation of infusions and infusion lines,and to use infusions rapidly once they have been prepared.