Transmission of Mycobacterium chimaera from Heater-Cooler Units during Cardiac Surgery despite an Ultraclean Air Ventilation System.

Sommerstein, Rami
Rüegg, Christian
Kohler, Philipp
Bloemberg, Guido
Kuster, Stefan P
Sax, Hugo

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Publication date

June 2016

DOI

10.3201/eid2206.160045

Publisher

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

ISSN

1080-6040

Citation count (estimate)

Abstract

Heater-cooler units (HCUs) were recently identified as a source of Mycobacterium chimaera causing surgical site infections. We investigated transmission of this bacterium from HCUs to the surgical field by using a thermic anemometer and particle counter, videotape of an operating room equipped with an ultraclean laminar airflow ventilation system, and bacterial culture sedimentation plates in a nonventilated room. Smoke from the HCU reached the surgical field in 23 s by merging with ultraclean air. The HCU produced on average 5.2, 139, and 14.8 particles/min in the surgical field at positions Off, On/oriented toward, and On/oriented away, respectively. Culture plates were positive for M. chimaera <5 m from the HCU in the test room. These ex...