title: Isolation of Mycobacterium avium from Potable Water in Homes and Institutions of Patients with HIV Infection in Finland and the United States.
abstract: Symptomatic disease by nontuberculous mycobacteria has been linked to potable water from institutional and domestic potable water systems. Potable water samples were collected from homes and institutions of patients with AIDS. Colonization of potable water with nontuberculous mycobacteria was demonstrated in 230 (15%) of 1489 samples collected from domestic and institutional water systems of patients with HIV infection in the United States and Finland. Mycobacterium avium was the most common species and colonization was favored at temperatures of 40-50 °C in recirculating hot water systems. Such systems are a plausible source of human infection and disease.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, HUS, PL 348, 00029 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Matti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ristola
authors.affiliation: Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Arbeit
authors.affiliation: Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, DHMC, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA.
authors.forename: C Fordham
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: von Reyn
authors.affiliation: Center for Global Health and Development, Boston University School of Public Health, 801 Massachusetts Avenue, Room 389, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
authors.forename: C Robert
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Horsburgh
mesh_terms: D060766:Drinking Water / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D015658:HIV Infections; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009162:Mycobacterium avium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014481:United States; D014871:Water Microbiology
chemical_list: D060766:Drinking Water