title: Evaluation of an MPN test for the rapid enumeration of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in hospital waters.
abstract: In this study, the performance of a new most probable number (MPN) test (Pseudalert(®)/Quanti-Tray(®)) for the enumeration of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from hospital waters was compared with both international and national membrane filtration-based culture methods for P. aeruginosa: ISO 16266:2006 and UK The Microbiology of Drinking Water - Part 8 (MoDW Part 8), which both use Pseudomonas CN agar. The comparison based on the calculation of mean relative differences between the two methods was conducted according to ISO 17994:2014. Using both routine hospital water samples (80 from six laboratories) and artificially contaminated samples (192 from five laboratories), paired counts from each sample and the enumeration method were analysed. For routine samples, there were insufficient data for a conclusive assessment, but the data do indicate at least equivalent performance of Pseudalert(®)/Quanti-Tray(®). For the artificially contaminated samples, the data revealed higher counts of P. aeruginosa being recorded by Pseudalert(®)/Quanti-Tray(®). The Pseudalert(®)/Quanti-Tray(®) method does not require confirmation testing for atypical strains of P. aeruginosa, saving up to 6 days of additional analysis, and has the added advantage of providing confirmed counts within 24-28 hours incubation compared to 40-48 hours or longer for the ISO 16266 and MoDW Part 8 methods.
authors.affiliation: SWM Consulting, 7 Sunnybank, Little Ness, Shrewsbury SY4 2LQ, UK E-mail: david.sartory@tesco.net.
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Sartory
authors.affiliation: Département Environnement et Santé Publique - INSERM EA 7298 INGRES - Faculté de Médecine, Lorraine University Medical School, Vandoeuvre les Nancy, France.
authors.forename: Danièle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pauly
authors.affiliation: Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment, 11 rue Henri Picherit, BP 82341-44323, Nantes Cedex 3, France.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Garrec
authors.affiliation: Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Reparto di Microbiologia e Virologia Ambientale e Wellness Dipartimento di Ambiente e Connessa Prevenzione Primaria, Viale Regina Elena 299, Rome 00161, Italy.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bonadonna
authors.affiliation: Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Reparto di Microbiologia e Virologia Ambientale e Wellness Dipartimento di Ambiente e Connessa Prevenzione Primaria, Viale Regina Elena 299, Rome 00161, Italy.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Semproni
authors.affiliation: Hygiene-Institut des Ruhrgebiets, Institut für Umwelthygiene und Toxikologie, Rotthauser Str. 21, Gelsenkirchen 45879, Germany.
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schell
authors.affiliation: Hygiene-Institut des Ruhrgebiets, Institut für Umwelthygiene und Toxikologie, Rotthauser Str. 21, Gelsenkirchen 45879, Germany.
authors.forename: Annika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reimann
authors.affiliation: ALcontrol Laboratories, 7 & 8 Aspen Court, Bessemer Way, Rotherham S60 1FB, UK.
authors.forename: Susan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Firth
authors.affiliation: Latis Scientific Ltd, 6 Bridgewater Square, London EC2Y 8AG, UK.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thom
authors.affiliation: Département Environnement et Santé Publique - INSERM EA 7298 INGRES - Faculté de Médecine, Lorraine University Medical School, Vandoeuvre les Nancy, France.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hartemann
authors.affiliation: Universitätsklinikum Bonn, Institut für Hygiene und Öffentliche Gesundheit, Sigmund-Freud-Straße 25, Bonn 53105, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Exner
authors.affiliation: QuoData GmbH, Kaitzer Str. 135, Dresden D-01187, Germany.
authors.forename: Henning
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Baldauf
authors.affiliation: Leegionella Ltd, Edgemoor Cottage, Rockford, Ringwood BH24 3NA, UK.
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Leegionella Ltd, Edgemoor Cottage, Rockford, Ringwood BH24 3NA, UK.
authors.forename: John V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011551:Pseudomonas fluorescens / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013045:Species Specificity; D014871:Water Microbiology