• C P McDonald, P Lowe, A Roy, S Robbins, S Hartley, J F Harrison, A Slopecki, N Verlander, and J A Barbara.
• National Blood Service, North London, Colindale, London, UK. carl.mcdonald@nbs.nhs.uk
• Vox Sang. 2001 Apr 1; 80 (3): 135-41.

Background And ObjectiveTo validate a standardized optimal national procedure for donor arm disinfection.Materials And MethodsA direct swabbing and plating technique was used to enumerate bacteria present on the arm pre- and postdisinfection. Twelve donor arm disinfection techniques were evaluated.ResultsThe Medi-Flex Adapted method, consisting of a two-stage process with an initial application of isopropyl alcohol followed by tincture of iodine, produced the best arm disinfection. A percentage reduction in bacterial counts of 99.79% (logarithmic reduction of 2.67) was obtained. Postdisinfection, 70% of donors had bacterial counts of zero, and 98% had counts of 10 or less.ConclusionThe Medi-Flex disinfection method offers the English National Blood Service a validated, optimal 'best practice' disinfection technique and should contribute significantly to the reduction in risk of transmission of bacteria by transfusion.

37 keywords...

hide…