Nosocomial legionellosis in three heart-lung transplant patients: case reports and environmental observations.
Organ transplant recipients are at high risk of contracting Legionnaires' disease in a hospital environment contaminated with legionellae. This study describes the first cases of culture-verified Legionella infections with an established link to potable hospital water in Denmark; three patients operated on at the Cardiopulmonary Transplant Unit, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, became infected with legionellae. Environmental and clinical isolates of Legionella pneumophila serogroups 1 and 6 were investigated by restriction enzyme analysis and ribotyping. An ice machine located in the kitchen of the intensive care unit was implicated as a source of infection in two of the three cases.
Bangsborg
J M
JM
Department of Clinical Microbiology, Statens Seruminstitut, Artillerivej, Copenhagen S, Denmark.
Uldum
S
S
Jensen
J S
JS
Bruun
B G
BG
D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology*; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D016041:Heart-Lung Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D016952:Legionella pneumophila / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007877:Legionnaires' Disease / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged