Hearing Aids Can Transmit Diseases.

• Position: Brief Article

Audiologists have made great strides in hearing aid technology, but an investigation shows many of them may be posing a health risk to their patients simply by neglecting to wash their hands between patient visits. Saint Louis (Mo.) University School of Medicine's Division of Audiology conducted the study. Ten custom hearing aids were sampled at random. The analysis detected the presence of moderate bacterial growth on all of them and moderate fungal growth on three.

Many audiology patients have compromised immune systems. "We may encounter geriatric patients who are quite old, often with underlying diseases such as diabetes," indicates A.U. Bankaitis, director of audiology. "Pediatric patients who are young and have immature immune systems or HIV-infected individuals with reduced immune responses are also at risk."

The microorganisms found on the hearing aids are known as opportunistic. That is, they seek out easy entry into the body. The ear canal is one of the easiest routes for disease transmissions to follow. "The problem is cross-contamination," Bankaitis explains. "That is where those bacterial and fungal growths cross from one hearing aid, to your hands, and then to the next hearing aid you handle. You have to assume something is growing on each hearing aid. Our recommendation is for audiologists to have a written infection control plan."

He maintains that audiologists should always wear gloves to handle a hearing aid, use disinfectants, and wash their hands before and after every...