Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41233755›Full record

ArticleBMC microbiology2025

Biofilm formation by the global outbreak strain of Mycobacterium chimaera results in significantly reduced efficacy of standard disinfectants.

Anna Maria Oschmann, Katharina Konrat, Christoph Schaudinn, Genevieve Sohl, Dirk Wagner, Astrid Lewin, Mardjan Arvand

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC microbiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Anna Maria OschmannHospital Hygiene, Infection Prevention and Control, Robert Koch Institute, Nordufer 20, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
Katharina KonratHospital Hygiene, Infection Prevention and Control, Robert Koch Institute, Nordufer 20, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
Christoph SchaudinnAdvanced Light and Electron Microscopy, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.
Genevieve SohlHospital Hygiene, Infection Prevention and Control, Robert Koch Institute, Nordufer 20, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
Dirk WagnerDivision of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine II, Freiburg University Medical Center, Freiburg, Germany.
Astrid LewinMycotic and Parasitic Agents and Mycobacteria, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.
Mardjan ArvandHospital Hygiene, Infection Prevention and Control, Robert Koch Institute, Nordufer 20, 13353, Berlin, Germany. ArvandM@rki.de.ORCID 0000-0002-7664-5150

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIn 2013, a global outbreak of Mycobacterium chimaera infections due to contaminated heater-cooler units emerged. This ongoing problem has highlighted the question of whether disinfection recommendations for medical devices containing water circuits are adequate for preventing contamination and possible recontamination by nontuberculous mycobacteria. The formation of biofilms in such devices exacerbates the problem. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of disinfectants on biofilms and suspensions of the M. chimaera strain ZUERICH-1, and to compare it with two unrelated M. chimaera strains obtained from different sources.

methodsDisinfection efficacy testing for biofilm was performed using a Bead Assay for Biofilms and for bacteria in suspension according to the European Standard EN 14348. Three different disinfectants, glutaraldehyde, sodium hypochlorite and peracetic acid, were assessed. M. chimaera ZUERICH-1, two genetically unrelated M. chimaera isolates and M. avium subsp. avium ATCC 15769, which is included in European standards for disinfectant testing on mycobacteria, were analyzed. The biofilms' structure and composition were analyzed by chemical and molecular techniques and advanced imaging methods.

resultsWe found that peracetic acid and glutaraldehyde in standard concentrations were able to effectively inactivate (≥ 4 log

conclusionsThe data suggest that current standard disinfection recommendations do not ensure sustained inhibition of M. chimaera when embedded in biofilm. Additional measures are needed to prevent nosocomial transmission of M. chimaera through contaminated heater-cooler units.

Indexed as

BiofilmsDisinfectantsMycobacteriumDisease OutbreaksDisinfectionEquipment ContaminationGlutaralHumansPeracetic AcidSodium HypochloriteDisinfectantsGlutaralPeracetic AcidSodium HypochloriteBiofilmContaminationDisinfectionHeater-cooler deviceMycobacteriaNontuberculousNosocomialOutbreakTransmission

Identifiers

PMID41233755
PMCPMC12613882

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.