Reviewer's report 
 Quality control in colorectal cancer screening: Microbiological investigation of endoscopes in Title: 
the NORCCAP (Norwegian Colorectal Cancer Prevention) trial: a survey 
Authors: 
Dr Michael Bretthauer ( michael.bretthauer@sthf.no )
Anita Jorgensen ( anita.jorgensen@sthf.no )
Bjorn-Erik Kristiansen ( bjorn.erik.kristiansen@telelab.no )
Bjorn Hofstad ( bjorn.hofstad@ioks.uio.no )
Dr Geir Hoff ( hofg@online.no )
 1  27 Apr 2003 Version: Date: 
 Theodore Levin Reviewer: 
 A paper of considerable general medical or scientific interest Level of interest: 
 Accept after discretionary revisions Advice on publication: 
No compulsory revisions. 
Discretionary revisions. 
1) I think we need some more detail about the cleaning process used at the 2 NORCCAP facilities and the type of endoscopes used. Which manufacturers, what techniques were recommended by 
written policy, how were endoscope washing personnel trained? What type of endoscope washing 
machines were used? Were they acetic acid or glutaraldehyde-based? 
2) Have the authors instituted any changes in policy as the result of these findings or do they 
consider these results to be validating of the policies currently in place? 
Two minor copy-editing comments: 
Page 5: Line 6, should say "having" rather than "have." 
Page 7: Reference is missing at end of paragraph 1. 
Competing interests: 
None declared. 
Reviewer's report 
 Quality control in colorectal cancer screening: Microbiological investigation of endoscopes in Title: 
the NORCCAP (Norwegian Colorectal Cancer Prevention) trial: a survey 
Authors: 
Dr Michael Bretthauer ( michael.bretthauer@sthf.no )
Anita Jorgensen ( anita.jorgensen@sthf.no )
Bjorn-Erik Kristiansen ( bjorn.erik.kristiansen@telelab.no )
Bjorn Hofstad ( bjorn.hofstad@ioks.uio.no )
Dr Geir Hoff ( hofg@online.no )
 1  27 Apr 2003 Version: Date: 
 Theodore Levin Reviewer: 
 A paper of considerable general medical or scientific interest Level of interest: 
 Accept after discretionary revisions Advice on publication: 
No compulsory revisions. 
Discretionary revisions. 
1) I think we need some more detail about the cleaning process used at the 2 NORCCAP facilities and the type of endoscopes used. Which manufacturers, what techniques were recommended by 
written policy, how were endoscope washing personnel trained? What type of endoscope washing 
machines were used? Were they acetic acid or glutaraldehyde-based? 
2) Have the authors instituted any changes in policy as the result of these findings or do they 
consider these results to be validating of the policies currently in place? 
Two minor copy-editing comments: 
Page 5: Line 6, should say "having" rather than "have." 
Page 7: Reference is missing at end of paragraph 1. 
Competing interests: 
None declared. 
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer's report 
 Quality control in colorectal cancer screening: Microbiological investigation of endoscopes in Title: 
the NORCCAP (Norwegian Colorectal Cancer Prevention) trial: a survey 
Authors: 
Dr Michael Bretthauer ( michael.bretthauer@sthf.no )
Anita Jorgensen ( anita.jorgensen@sthf.no )
Bjorn-Erik Kristiansen ( bjorn.erik.kristiansen@telelab.no )
Bjorn Hofstad ( bjorn.hofstad@ioks.uio.no )
Dr Geir Hoff ( hofg@online.no )
 1  27 Apr 2003 Version: Date: 
 Theodore Levin Reviewer: 
 A paper of considerable general medical or scientific interest Level of interest: 
 Accept after discretionary revisions Advice on publication: 
No compulsory revisions. 
Discretionary revisions. 
1) I think we need some more detail about the cleaning process used at the 2 NORCCAP facilities and the type of endoscopes used. Which manufacturers, what techniques were recommended by 
written policy, how were endoscope washing personnel trained? What type of endoscope washing 
machines were used? Were they acetic acid or glutaraldehyde-based? 
2) Have the authors instituted any changes in policy as the result of these findings or do they 
consider these results to be validating of the policies currently in place? 
Two minor copy-editing comments: 
Page 5: Line 6, should say "having" rather than "have." 
Page 7: Reference is missing at end of paragraph 1. 
Competing interests: 
None declared. 
assistant