It is present in the nose of about 30% of healthy adults and on the skin of about 20%. The percentages are higher for people who are patients in a hospital or who work there. The bacteria can be transmitted from the nose and the skin through individuals’ hands and can contaminate surface areas. Escherichia coli is a gram negative, facultative anaerobic bacteria. Its harmful symptoms include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often watery and may develop into bloody), vomiting, and fevers. E coli bacteria is found mainly in cattle and can be transmitted through humans by the consumption of contaminated foods, such as raw or undercooked ground meat products and raw milk, fecal contamination of water and other foods, as well as cross-contamination during food preparation. It can also be transmitted from person to person through the fecal oral …show more content…
The equipment is used on people who may be infected by many different bacteria and viruses. Also, some bacteria can be transmitted through skin to skin contact or air. Bacteria can be transmitted through the air in the room surrounding an infected individual or it can be transmitted through the doctors and nurses who use the equipment and handle the patients. Medical equipment needs to be sterilized regularly to ensure that the equipment is bacteria free. Away to sterilize equipment, especially catalase positive ones including S aureus and E coli, is by Hydrogen Peroxide Plasma Sterilization or Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide (VHP®) Sterilization. The hydrogen peroxide plasma sterilization works by first filling the hydrogen peroxide plasma sterilizer with the objects to be sterilized. The basic hydrogen peroxide plasma sterilization cycle consists of four stages (vacuum generation, H2O2 injection, diffusion, and plasma discharge) and takes approximately 1 to 3 hours. Hydrogen peroxide plasma sterilization inactivates microorganisms primarily by the combined use of hydrogen peroxide gas and the generation of free radicals (hydroxyl and hydroproxyl free radicals) during the plasma phase of the cycle. For the vaporized hydrogen peroxide, the VHP sterilizer is first filled with the objects to be sterilized. The cycle consists of three stages (conditioning including vacuum