背景:免疫功能低下患者严重军团菌感染的风险增加。我们介绍了在医院获得性军团菌病致命病例后发起的爆发调查的结果,该病例与马桶冲洗水箱的污染水有关。此外,我们提供了军团菌生长的实验数据。在冲洗水箱中,并提出了一个简单的预防方案。
方法:我们监测军团菌的生长。在建筑物的冷热水系统中使用选择性琼脂上的定量细菌培养。通过核心基因组多位点序列分型(cgMLST)对感染患者和水系统中的嗜肺乳杆菌分离株进行分子分型。
结果:医院大楼冷水系统中的军团菌污染明显高于热水系统,并且与浴室水槽和淋浴的冷水相比,厕所冲洗水箱中的军团菌污染明显更高。通过cgMLST,来自患者和患者浴室冲洗水箱的隔离物相同。在实验环境中,每天冲洗厕所21天,军团菌的生长减少了67%。在马桶冲洗水箱的水中。此外,用过氧乙酸一次性消毒水箱,然后每天冲洗,在这些环境中,在至少7周的时间内,军团菌的生长减少到不到1%。
结论:用过氧乙酸一次性消毒和每日冲厕作为短期措施,可以显着减少冲厕中军团菌的污染。这些措施可能有助于预防免疫功能低下患者中的军团菌感染。
BACKGROUND: Immunocompromised patients are at an increased risk of severe legionella infections. We present the results of an outbreak investigation initiated following a fatal case of hospital-acquired legionellosis linked to contaminated water from a toilet-flushing cistern. Additionally, we provide experimental data on the growth of Legionella spp. in flushing cisterns and propose a straightforward protocol for prevention.
METHODS: We monitored the growth of Legionella spp. in the building\'s hot- and cold-water systems using quantitative bacterial culture on selective agar. Molecular typing of Legionella pneumophila isolates from the infected patient and the water system was conducted through core-genome multi-locus sequence typing (cgMLST).
RESULTS: Legionella contamination in the hospital building\'s cold-water system was significantly higher than in the hot-water system and significantly higher in toilet flushing cistern\'s water compared with cold water from bathroom sinks and showers. Isolates from the patient and from the flushing cistern of the patient\'s bathroom were identical by cgMLST. In an experimental setting, daily toilet flushing for a period of 21 days resulted in a 67% reduction in the growth of Legionella spp. in the water of toilet flushing cisterns. Moreover, a one-time disinfection of cisterns with peracetic acid, followed by daily flushing, decreased legionella growth to less than 1% over a period of at least seven weeks in these setting.
CONCLUSIONS: One-time disinfection of highly contaminated cisterns with peracetic acid and daily toilet flushing as short-term measure can significantly reduce legionella contamination in flushing cisterns. These measures may aid in preventing legionella infection among immunocompromised patients.