The European respiratory journal : official journal of the European Society for Clinical Respiratory Physiology
-
An unusual increase in the frequency of isolation of Mycobacterium chelonae subspecies chelonae from specimens of bronchial washings was found between September and December 1992 in National Taiwan University Hospital. During this period, a total of 123 patients underwent fibreoptic bronchoscopy with an Olympus P20. Seventy six patients had bronchial washing for bacteriological study and cytological examination. ⋯ The contamination was controlled by extensive suction and rinsing of the channel with 70% alcohol immediately after disinfection by the automated bronchoscope disinfection machine. This study shows that, despite using the disinfection machine, the suction channel could still be contaminated with Mycobacterium chelonae. This may cause diagnostic confusion and unnecessary antimycobacterial treatment.