Microbiologic study on stethoscopic eartips

ABSTRACT

Due to the inadequate use of stethoscopic eartips and the possibility of they being a source of infection of the ear, a microbiologic study has been carried out on 34 stethoscopes. The material from the eartips was cultured, one eartip being "contaminated", and the other disinfected previously with 70 per cent aqueous alcohol. Microorganisms developed in 100 per cent of the contaminated eartips and in 64.71 per cent of the clean ones. Howver ther was no statistically significant difference between the two groups, showing that 70 per cent aqueous alcohol is not an efficient disinfectant