title: [Legionellae in dental units--a hygienic risk?].
abstract: Water samples were collected from the hot water systems and from dental units in 12 dental offices of Dresden and cultured for legionellae. From seven (58%) hot water supplies and from dental units in 6 (50%) offices legionellae could be isolated. To asses the hygienic risk for dental staff we studied the prevalence of antibodies against Legionellae in serum samples of 113 dentists, 105 dental nurses and 17 dental technicians. In comparison with a control group of healthy people (132 women, 161 men, 20-80 years) living in the Dresden area, dentists have had a higher prevalence of antibodies against legionellae. In a lesser degree this was the case in sera of dental nurses and dental technicians. There were substantially differences in the prevalence of legionellae antibodies in different facilities. The incidence of positive antibody titers rises with the duration of occupation. None of the dentists with high antibody titers have had a story of pneumonia in their history of life. Thus a higher risk for dentists to acquire legionnaires' disease during their professional duty cannot be established.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Medizinische Fakultät, Technische Universität Dresden.
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Lück
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seidel
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Postl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D003726:Dental Assistants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003748:Dental Equipment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003800:Dental Technicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003815:Dentists / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D007875:Legionella / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014881:Water Supply / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial
vernacular_title: Legionellen in Dentaleinheiten--ein hygienisches Risiko?