Journal article
Persistence of Legionella pneumophila in a Hospital's Water System : A 13-year survey
Infection control and hospital epidemiology, Vol.20(12), pp.793-797
1999
DOI: 10.1086/501586
PMID: 10614601
Abstract
Objective: To describe the molecular epidemiology of Legionella pneumophila infections in the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC).
Design: Molecular epidemiological study using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE).
Setting: A large university teaching hospital. ISOLATES: All surviving isolates obtained from culture-proven nosocomial L. pneumophila infections and all surviving isolates obtained from the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics' water supply between 1981 and 1993.
Results: Thirty-three isolates from culture-proven nosocomial cases of L. pneumophila pneumonia were available for typing. PFGE of genomic DNA from the clinical isolates identified six different strains. However, only strain C (16 cases) and strain D (13 cases) caused more than 1 case. Strain C caused clusters of nosocomial infection in 1981, 1986, and 1993 and also caused 4 sporadic cases. Strain D caused a cluster in 1987 and 1988 plus 4 sporadic cases. Of the six strains causing clinical infections, only strains C and D were identified in water samples. PFGE identified three strains in the water supply, of which strains C and D caused clinical disease and also persisted in the water supply during most of the study period.
Conclusion: Specific strains of L. pneumophila can colonize hospital water supplies and cause nosocomial infections over long periods of time.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Persistence of Legionella pneumophila in a Hospital's Water System : A 13-year survey
- Creators
- M Sigfrido Rangel-Frausto - Division of General Internal Medicine, the Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, United StatesPaul Rhomberg - Department of Pathology, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, United StatesRichard J Hollis - Department of Pathology, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, United StatesMichael A Pfaller - Department of Pathology, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, United StatesRichard P Wenzel - Division of General Internal Medicine, the Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, United StatesCharles M Helms - Division of General Internal Medicine, the Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, United StatesLoreen A Herwaldt - Division of General Internal Medicine, the Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Infection control and hospital epidemiology, Vol.20(12), pp.793-797
- DOI
- 10.1086/501586
- PMID
- 10614601
- NLM abbreviation
- Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol
- ISSN
- 0899-823X
- eISSN
- 1559-6834
- Publisher
- Slack
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 1999
- Academic Unit
- Infectious Diseases; Health Management and Policy; Epidemiology; Pathology; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984094735202771
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