THE STETHOSCOPE: IS IT AN INSTRUMENT FOR DIAGNOSIS OR FOR MICROBIAL DISSEMINATION?

  • Jaciara Aparecida Dias Santos Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros- Unimontes
Keywords: Contamination of Equipments, Stethoscope, Biological Contamination, Health Professionals, Hospital Infections

Abstract

The contamination and dissemination capacity of infections by stethoscopes reported in the literature is analyzed. The Virtual Health Library and databases of Medline, Lilacs and SciELO were used during February 2015 for the 2004 – 2014 period. The following inclusion criteria were employed: theses and journals in English, Spanish and Portuguese accessed in full text online. Fourteen articles were included where contamination and possible dissemination of microorganisms by stethoscopes were described. The theme requires deeper attention since stethoscopes may be vectors of hospital infections.

Author Biography

Jaciara Aparecida Dias Santos, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros- Unimontes
Discente do curso de Medicina da Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros - Unimontes, Montes Claros, MG, Brasi.
Published
2015-12-31
Section
Artigos de Revisão