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Correlation Between Legionella Contamination in Water and Surrounding Air

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 June 2016

Paolo Crimi ,
Gianni Macrina ,
Antonio Grieco ,
Carola Tinteri ,
Laura Copello ,
Daniela Rebora ,
Angelo Galli  and
Rolando Rizzetto
Paolo Crimi*
Affiliation:
Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
Gianni Macrina
Affiliation:
Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
Antonio Grieco
Affiliation:
Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
Carola Tinteri
Affiliation:
Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
Laura Copello
Affiliation:
Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
Daniela Rebora
Affiliation:
Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
Angelo Galli
Affiliation:
Department of Burn Care, S. Martino Hospital, Genoa, Italy
Rolando Rizzetto
Affiliation:
Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
*
Department of Health Sciences, Via Pastore 1, 16132 Genoa, Italy (paolo.crimi@hsanmartino.liguria.it)
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Abstract

We evaluated Legionella pneumophila contamination of water and surrounding air in a burn care department equipped with bathtubs. In water, the bacterium always aerosolized, but in surrounding air, it diluted itself to such a point that it became undetectable at 1 m or more from the source of emission, which indicated that patients were at low risk of inhaling a dangerous quantity of the microbe.

Type
Concise Communications
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 27 , Issue 7 , July 2006 , pp. 771 - 773
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2006

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