A quarantine process for the resolution of duodenoscope-associated transmission of multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli

The existing manufacturer-recommended high-level disinfection protocols for duodenoscopes are inadequate. Although the ultimate solution may be a design change to the instrument, the timeline for such a change appears long and potentially difficult to exact. In the interim, a reliable method to ensure that bacterial pathogens are not present on the duodenoscope after high-level disinfection is needed.