Prevention of Nosocomial Infection During Dermoscopy?

Evaluation of dermoscopy in the diagnosis of naturally occurring dermatophytosis in cats

“…scales) . The dermoscope was disinfected with accelerated hydrogen peroxide 0.5% (Accel ® TB, Virox Technologies Inc.; Oakville, ON, Canada) and antibacterial gel 62% ethyl alcohol (Purell ® , Gojo Industries Inc.; Akron, OH, USA) after each use and between each animal to prevent contamination . Because comma hairs in cats are not identical to comma hairs in humans, such hairs were interpreted as “comma‐like.” If comma‐like hairs were found on dermoscopy, patients were quantified as “positive”; they were “negative” if such hairs were not found.…”

“…Hairs were plucked using mosquito haemostats and inoculated onto enhanced Sabouraud's Dextrose Agar and dermatophyte test medium (DTM) containing phenol red (pH indicator), antibiotics (gentamicin, chlortetracycline) and cycloheximide (Shelby Scientific; Macomb, MI, USA) . Haemostats were disinfected with accelerated hydrogen peroxide 0.5% (Accel ® TB) and antibacterial gel 62% ethyl alcohol (Purell ® ) after each use and between each animal to prevent contamination . The haemostats were wiped dry with a paper towel between each disinfectant.…”

Are dermatoscopes a potential source of nosocomial infection in dermatology clinics?

“…The second study, with 112 outpatient samples using oil ( n = 101) and 63% isopropyl alcohol ( n = 11) as contact medium, grew oxacillin‐sensitive S. aureus in three samples, all using oil as contact medium . The third study, with 31 outpatients and using alcohol‐based antibacterial gel as immersion fluid, did not detect any growth …”