Medical wastes. 2. Comparative studies of the microbial contamination of wastes from medical practices of different disciplines and household garbage
Jager, E.; Xander, L.; Rüden, H.
Zentralblatt für Hygiene und Umweltmedizin 190(1-2): 188-206
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0934-8859 PMID: 2393489 Document Number: 353850
Medical consulting room wastes of 7 disciplines were investigated quantitatively and qualitatively for nosocomial infective agents. 20-25 samples from each consulting room were examined for 3 months. The results were compared with those of household refuse and hospital wastes. The whole content of a waste bag was suspended without a preceding sorting and the eluate was microbiologically examined. The results of the investigations proved, that the germ concentration of the medical consulting room wastes was less than that of household refuse. The median for all investigated germ groups was less than 1 log(10)-step compared-to household refuse. The statistical analyses confirmed highly significant differences (p less than 0.001) for total germ concentration, thermoresistant obligate aerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria and bacteria spores. Exceptionally the paediatric consulting room wastes show smaller differences (p less than 0.01) between the household refuse for obligate and facultative anaerobic bacteria, thermoresistant obligate and facultative anaerobic bacteria and bacteria spores and D-streptococci. From the comparison of total germ concentration for medical wastes from conservative disciplines and household refuse resulted that wastes from medical consulting rooms are less contaminated with nosocomial infective agents than household refuse and hospital wastes. In conclusion wastes from medical consulting rooms can, similar to hospital wastes, be disposed together with household refuse.