Microbial contamination of in-use lubricants for non-touch urethral catheters in intermittent self-catheterization

There are no reports on microbial contamination of repeatedly used lubrican t (84-87% glycerin containing 0.02% benzalkonium chloride) for non-touch ur ethral catheters in intermittent self-catheterization. In this work, we eva luated microbial contamination of in-use lubricant and its prevention. Betw een September and December, 1996, microbial contamination and water activit y of in-use lubricants in sheathed and lubricated nontouch catheters connec ted to a tube used by 46 outpatients at our hospital was examined. Microbia l contamination was detected at 5 to 2.6 x 10(8) colony-forming units (CFU) /ml in 14 (30.4%) of 46 samples. With higher water activity of the lubrican t (a higher dilution rate of the lubricant with water), a higher concentrat ion of microbial contamination was observed. In 3 (21.4%) of the 14 patient s using contaminated lubricant, urine samples show ed the same microbial sp ecies as those detected in the lubricant. To prevent microbial contaminatio n of the lubricant, dilution of the lubricant with water, as a result of re peated use, should be avoided.