Highlights
- •Bulletpoint n 1: Old plastic containers present high risk of biocontamination if not changed regularly
- •Bulletpoint n 2: To look for a reservoir, choosing the most adapted sampling method is essential
- •Bulletpoint n 3: Finding the starting point of a biocontamination is a major help in controlling it
- •Bulletpoint n 4: Achromobacter spp can survive in micro-cracks of plastic buckets
Abstract
Background: Radiopharmaceuticals preparation unit, such as every aseptic preparation
units, are strictly monitored in terms of microbiological contamination. Despite all
biocontamination control procedures, our radiopharmacy unit faced repeated environnmental
contamination by Achromobacter spp which necessitated a large environmental investigation.
Method: Microbiological controls were carried out using Count Tact agars (Biomérieux)
for flat surfaces, dry swabbing for hard to reach areas and containers were filled
with a sterile water solution (then filtrated on 0.45µm membrane and seeded). Microbiological
identification was performed by mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS, Brucker) on each
positive sample.
Results: Achromobacter spp was found in 10% of the 413 samples during the 8 months investigation period. The
proportion of positive samples was stable among time but their location was unpredictable.
The highest inoculum was finally found in the buckets used for biocleaning.
Discussion: Samples from cleaning buckets taken by dry swabbing were at first negative,
but the use of a non-routinely used sampling method allowed to discover the reservoir
of this persistent contamination.
Conclusion: This investigation alerted us on the high microbiological risk associated
with reusable plastic containers and the importance of a sampling method adapted to
critical locations.
Keywords
Abbreviations:
CFU (Colony Forming Unit), CGRPP (Current Good RadioPharmaceutical Pratices), EANM (European Agency of Nuclear Medicine), EMA (European Medicine Agency), GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices), GPP (Good Preparation Practices), HHL (Hospital Hygiene Laboratory), PCL (Pharmaceutical Control Laboratory)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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