Wondrous Stethoscope: A Potential Disseminator of Pathogens in Health-Care Settings

Abstract

Stethoscope, the foundational clinical tool of medical profession, has been found to be a potential disseminator of infections in the healthcare settings (HAIs). Unfortunately, despite recognition of magnitude of the problem, its disinfection is an under-recognized, under-scored and grossly overlooked issue. The three life savior words “Wash your hands” were uttered, for the first time, by Hungarian Obstetrician Ignaz Semmelweis (1818-1865) at the podium of The Vienna Medical Society’s lecture hall on the historic day of May 15, 1850. Today, adequate hand hygiene has been recognized to be the single most important, feasible, doable, and least expensive tool in reducing the increasing toll of HAIs and the spread of antimicrobial resistance. However, efficacy of such a program would be undermined if the healthcare workers (HCWs) continue using unclean stethoscopes which have been found to harbor the same pathogens as on the hands of HCWs. WHO’s “Clean Care is Safer Care” guidelines promote hand hygiene before touching a patient. Likewise, the stethoscopes should be disinfected “before use on each patient”. The resultant synergistic effect would prevent the dissemination of identical pathogens among patients and the care of “clinician’s third hand” would certainly reduce burden of HAIs in healthcare settings.