GMS. Hygiene and infection control
Current infection control measures regarding Heater Cooler Units (HCU) in Germany after the mycobacteria chimaera outbreak 2014–2026
By Sebastian Schulz-Stübner.
Abstract
Introduction
The 2014–2016 outbreak of cardiac surgery–associated infections with non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) linked to heater-cooler units (HCUs) led to widespread implementation of environmental monitoring and technical/organizational control measures in Germany. We aimed to describe current infection prevention practices, with a focus on ongoing water and air surveillance related to HCUs in German cardiac surgery centres.