Caveat emptor: the role of suboptimal bronchoscope repair practices by a third-party vendor in a pseudo-outbreak of pseudomonas in bronchoalveolar lavage specimens.

Objective: To describe a pseudo-outbreak associated with loose bronchoscope biopsy ports caused by inadequate bronchoscope repair practices by third-party vendors and to alert healthcare personnel to assess bronchoscope repair practices.

Design: Outbreak investigation.

Setting: A 925-bed tertiary care hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.