TY - JOUR A1 - Kelkar, U A1 - Kelkar, S A1 - Bal, Abhijit A1 - Kulkarni, S A1 - Kulkarni, S T1 - Microbiological evaluation of various parameters in ophthalmic operating rooms. The need to establish guidelines. Y1 - 2003/4/1 JF - Indian Journal of Ophthalmology JO - Indian J Ophthalmol SP - 171 EP - 176 VL - 51 IS - 2 UR - https://journals.lww.com/ijo/pages/default.aspx/article.asp?issn=0301-4738;year=2003;volume=51;issue=2;spage=171;epage=176;aulast=Kelkar N2 - Purpose: Postoperative infections can be caused by a contaminated environment, unsterile equipment, contaminated surfaces, and infected personnel as well as contaminated disinfectants. In order to establish guidelines for microbiological monitoring, a detailed microbiological surveillance was carried out in an ophthalmic hospital. Method: Over a period of 21 months, we assessed environmental Bacteria Carrying Particle (BCP) load and surface samples weekly (n=276); the autoclaving system once a month and repeated whenever the process failed (n= 24); the air conditioning filters for fungal growth once in four months (n = 15), and the disinfectant solution for contamination once in two months (n = 10). Additionally, the personnel involved directly in surgery were screened for potential pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus and β haemolytic streptococci. Result: On 14 (5.07%) occasions the environment in the operating rooms had a significant risk of airborne infections. Sterilisation of instruments in the autoclaves was unsatisfactory on 4 (16.66 %) occasions. Samples from the filters of the air-conditioning units yielded potentially pathogenic fungi on 3 (20%) occasions. Personnel sampling revealed that 5 (8.77%) individuals harboured β haemolytic Streptococci in the throat and 4 (7.01 %) harboured S. aureus in the nasal cavity. The samples of disinfectant in use were not contaminated. Conclusion: There is a need to standardise microbiological evaluation protocols for operating rooms. ER -