[Nosocomial Legionella pneumophila infection in a nephrology department].
During the autumn and winter of 1993-94 four cases of legionellosis were diagnosed in a Department of Nephrology. Three of the patients were kidney transplanted patients. Two of the patients died. The diagnosis was based on positive culture in two patients and by positive urinary antigen test in the other two patients. Serology was negative for all four patients. Legionella pneumophila was initially found in the cold and hot shower water, in ice-water from the ice machine, from the hot water tank and in the cold water inlet to the building. The isolate from patient no. one and isolates of serogroup 5 from the ice machine and the shower water had identical REA profiles, different from the profiles of the isolate from patient no. four. We concluded that at least one of the four patients was likely to have been infected from the water in the department, either by inhalation of contaminated aerosols from the shower or by aspiration of contaminated ice-water. Precautions were taken to reduce the number of Legionella in the shower- and ice-water. In addition, restrictions in the use of showers and ice-water from the ice machine were introduced.
Gahrn-Hansen
B
B
Odense Universitetshospital, klinisk mikrobiologisk afdeling.
Uldum
S A
SA
Schmidt
J
J
Nielsen
B
B
Birkeland
S A
SA
Jørgensen
K A
KA
D000368:Aged; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D006748:Hospital Departments; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D016952:Legionella pneumophila / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007877:Legionnaires' Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000091402:Prohibitins; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012703:Serotyping; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014881:Water Supply
Nosokomiel infektion med Legionella pneumophila på en nefrologisk afdeling.