Hospital washbasin water: risk of Legionella-contaminated aerosol inhalation.
The contamination of aerosols by washbasin water colonized by Legionella in a hospital was evaluated. Aerosol samples were collected by two impingement technologies. Legionella was never detected by culture in all the (aerosol) samples. However, 45% (18/40) of aerosol samples were positive for Legionella spp. by polymerase chain reaction, with measurable concentrations in 10% of samples (4/40). Moreover, immunoassay detected Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 and L. anisa, and potentially viable bacteria were seen on viability testing. These data suggest that colonized hospital washbasins could represent risks of exposure to Legionella aerosol inhalation, especially by immunocompromised patients.
Groupement Hospitalier Edouard Herriot, Service d'Hygiène, Epidémiologie et Prévention, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France; Centre National de Référence des Légionelles, Groupement Hospitalier Est, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Bron, France.
P
P
Cassier
C
C
Landelle
M
M
Reyrolle
M C
MC
Nicolle
S
S
Slimani
J
J
Etienne
P
P
Vanhems
S
S
Jarraud
D000336:Aerosols; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D001239:Inhalation; D007875:Legionella / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007876:Legionellosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014871:Water Microbiology
D000336:Aerosols
Aerosol; Impingement; Legionella; Tap water; Washbasin