The main issue in relation to resistant organisms such as MRSA, VRE and MDRTB in connection with endoscopy is the potential risk for contamination of the environment by an infected or colonised patient. If this occurs cross infection to subsequent patients may result.
To prevent this it is important to adhere to the infection control guidelines of your particular facility in relation to the patients infected or colonised with these resistant organisms.
Additional precautions (contact transmission) are recommended for patients with MRSA and VRE and additional precautions (airborne transmission ) should be observed for patients with MDRTB.
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Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is resistance of a microorganism to an antimicrobial medicine to which it was previously sensitive. Resistant organisms (they include bacteria, viruses and some parasites) are able to withstand attack by antimicrobial medicines, such as antibiotics, antivirals, and antimalarials, so that standard treatments become ineffective and infections persist and may spread to others.
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