[Assessment of occupational risk of Legionella spp. infection among dental health-care personnel].
Various authors have reported the presence of Legionella spp. in dental unit waterlines with prevalence rates reaching, in some cases, 69.7% In order to evaluate the association between occupational exposure to Legionella and risk of infection, anti-Legionella spp. antibodies were measured in 88 dental assistants, 44 of which exposed and 44 not exposed to dental environments. Antibody levels > 1:128 were considered positive for infection. Relative risk was found to be 3.5 (p<0.01). These results confirm the hypothesis that workers in dental health-care settings are at occupational risk for Legionella infection. It is essential, therefore, that surveillance of microbiological quality of dental waterlines be implemented and appropriate disinfection procedures performed where necessary.
Napoli
Christian
C
Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Oncologia Umana, Sezione di Igiene, Università degli Studi di Bari. c.napoli@igiene.uniba.it
Tatò
Daniela
D
Iatta
Roberta
R
Montagna
Maria Teresa
MT
D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D003726:Dental Assistants; D003748:Dental Equipment / Q000382:microbiology*; D004203:Disinfection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007875:Legionella / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007876:Legionellosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D012306:Risk
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial