OBJECTIVE To study the microbiological contamination of 115 endoscopic forceps channel at the time of reception and after disinfection, and gain a preliminary understanding of their real disinfection quality, then analyse the problems and make recommendations. METHODS 115 endoscopes received in the Digestive Endoscopy Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University were chosen. Microbiological sampling and strain identification of the endoscopic forceps channel were carried out at the time of reception of the endoscopes received and after cleaning and disinfection, respectively, then the qualified disinfection rate, microbial detection rate and flora situation of endoscopes received were compared between the two. RESULTS The overall qualified disinfection rate after cleaning and disinfection of endoscopes received was higher (91.3%) than that at receiving (57.4%, P < 0.001). The overall microbiological detection was lower after cleaning and disinfection than that at reception (13.0% vs 48.7%, P <0.001), the detection rates of high pathogenic organisms and low pathogenic organisms were lower after cleaning and disinfection than that at reception (both P < 0.001). The number of endoscopes received with disinfection failures detected at receiving and completing cleaning and disinfection was 49 and 10, respectively, and Pseudomonas spp. were the most predominant species detected by microbial strain identification. The number of Pseudomonas spp. was lower after cleaning and disinfection (5 strains) than that at reception (24 strains, P < 0.001), but none of the differences were statistically significant when compared to the other flora (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION At the time of receiving the endoscopes received, the qualified disinfection rate was low and the microbiological detection rate was high, and there may become a greater risk of cross-infection; after cleaning and disinfection, the qualified disinfection rate was increased and the microbiological detection rate was decreased,which may greatly reduce the risk of patient infection. Therefore, attention should be paid to the disinfection quality monitoring of endoscopes received before putting into clinical use, and it is recommended that they should first be cleaned and disinfected in strict accordance with the requirements of WS507-2016 "Technical Specification for Cleaning and Disinfection of Flexible Endoscopes" at receiving, and then biologically monitored.They can be used if they pass the monitoring.