Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-14T04:28:01.443Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Treatment of a Legionella pneumophila-Colonized Water Distribution System Using Copper-Silver Ionization and Continuous Chlorination

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Amaya Biurrun ,
Luis Caballero ,
Carmen Pelaz ,
Elena León  and
Alberto Gago
Amaya Biurrun*
Affiliation:
Department of Preventive Medicine, Talavera de la Reina (Toledo), Microbiology National Center, Carlos III Health Institute, Majadahondd (Madrid), Spain
Luis Caballero
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Microbiology, Talavera de la Reina (Toledo), Microbiology National Center, Carlos III Health Institute, Majadahondd (Madrid), Spain
Carmen Pelaz
Affiliation:
Department of Bacteriology, Microbiology National Center, Carlos III Health Institute, Majadahondd (Madrid), Spain
Elena León
Affiliation:
Department of Preventive Medicine, Talavera de la Reina (Toledo), Microbiology National Center, Carlos III Health Institute, Majadahondd (Madrid), Spain
Alberto Gago
Affiliation:
Nta Sra del Prado Hospital, Talavera de la Reina (Toledo), Microbiology National Center, Carlos III Health Institute, Majadahondd (Madrid), Spain
*
Hospital Nta Sra del Prado, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, Crta de Madrid, Km 114, 45600 Talavera de la Reina (Toledo), Spain
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The detection in April 1997 of a case of nosocomial legionellosis in our hospital led to the discovery that both our hot- and cold-water circuits were heavily colonized with Legionella pneumophila. Conventional methods for eradication of the organisms were unsuccessful, so a copper-silver (Cu-Ag) ionization system and a continuous chlorination system were installed. Five months later, the number of colonized sites decreased from an initial 58.3% to 16.7%.

Type
Concise Communications
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 20 , Issue 6 , June 1999 , pp. 426 - 428
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 1999

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Muraca, PW, Yu, VL, Goetz, A. Disinfection of water distribution systems for Legionella: a review of application procedures and methodologies. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 1990;11:79–88.Google Scholar
2. Best, M, Yu, VL, Stout, J, Goetz, A, Muder, R, Taylor, F. Legionellaceae in the hospital water-supply. Epidemiological link with disease and evaluation of a method for control of nosocomial legionnaires' disease and Pittsburgh pneumonia. Lancet 1983;2:307–310.Google Scholar
3. Goetz, A, Yu, VL. Nosocomial Legionella infection. In: Mayhall, CG, ed. Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control. 1st ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins; 1996:388–398.Google Scholar
4. Liu, Z, Stout, JE, Tedesco, L, Boldin, M, Hwang, C, Diven, WF, Yu, VL. Controlled evaluation of copper-silver ionization in eradicating Legionella pneumophila from a hospital water distribution system. J Infect Dis 1994;169:919–922.Google Scholar
5. Landeen, LK, Yahya, MT, Gerba, CP. Efficacy of copper and silver ions and reduced levels of free chlorine in inactivation of Legionella pneumophila . Appl Environ Microbiol 1989;55:3045–3050.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6. Stout, JE, Lin, YE, Goetz, AM, Muder, RR. Controlling Legionella in hospital water systems: experience with the superheat-and-flush method and copper-silver ionization. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 1998;19:911–914.Google Scholar
7. Pelaz, C, Marttn-Bourgon, C. “Legionelosis: datos de España, diagnóstico de laboratorio y recomendaciones para su prevención y control en instalaciones de edificios.” Madrid, Spam: Instituto de Salud Carlos III>, Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo. 1993.Google Scholar
8. Pelaz, C, García, L, Martín-Bourgon, C. Legionellae isolated from clinical and environmental samples in Spain (1983-1990): monoclonal typing of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 isolates. Epidemiol Infect 1992;108:397–402.Google Scholar
9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guidelines for prevention of nosocomial pneumonia. MMWR 1997;46(RR-1):55–57.Google Scholar
10. Helms, CM, Massanari, RM, Wenzel, RP, Pfaller, MA, Moyer, NP, Hall, N, et al. Legionnaires' disease associated with a hospital water system; a five-year progress report on continuous hyperchlorination. JAMA 1988;259:2423–2427.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11. Mietzner, S, Schwille, RC, Farley, A, Wald, ER, Ge, JH, States, SJ, et al. Efficacy of thermal treatment and copper-silver ionization for controlling Legionella pneumophila in high-volume hot water plumbing systems in hospitals. Am J Infect Control 1997;25:452–457.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12. Yu, VL, Iiu, Z, Stout, JE, Goetz, A. Legionella disinfection of water distribution systems: principles, problems, and practice. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 1993;14:567–570.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed