Bacterial interaction between anesthesiologists, their patients, and equipment

Abstract

The authors examine the following: liberation of organisms from the airway of an infected patient; inoculum size needed to infect a subsequent patient; effect of aerosols (including droplet size and evaporation) on the viability of microorganisms; effect of relative humidity on microorganism viability; effect of anesthesia and oxygen on microorganism viability; effect of metallic ions on microorganism viability; effect of plastics on microorganism viability; clinical investigations - transmission of bacteria from infected patients to the anesthesia machine; and problems associated with acid-fast bacillary infections. Fifty two references are cited.