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Legionnaires' disease in a newly constructed long-term care facility.
- Source :
-
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society [J Am Geriatr Soc] 2000 Dec; Vol. 48 (12), pp. 1589-92. - Publication Year :
- 2000
-
Abstract
- Objectives: To determine whether a newly-constructed long-term care facility would become colonized with Legionella and whether Legionnaires' disease would occur in residents of this new facility.<br />Design: Prospective environmental surveillance of the hospital's water distribution system for the presence of Legionella pneumophila during construction. Utilization of diagnostic tests for Legionnaires' disease in cases of nosocomial pneumonia.<br />Setting: The Pittsburgh VA Health Care System, Aspinwall Division, a two-building 400-bed complex.<br />Participants: Six patients who acquired Legionnaires' disease while in the facility.<br />Intervention: Installation of copper-silver ionization systems.<br />Measurements: Isolation of L. pneumophila from potable water and the occurrence of Legionnaires' disease.<br />Results: L. pneumophila serogroup 1 was recovered from the water distribution system within 1 month of operation; 74% (61/82) of distal sites were positive during construction. In the first 2 years of occupancy, six cases of legionellosis were diagnosed. Both clinical isolates of L. pneumophila were identical to environmental isolates by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Copper-silver ionization systems were installed to control Legionella in the water system.<br />Conclusions: We conclude that long-term care residents are at risk for acquiring nosocomial Legionnaires' disease in the presence of a colonized water system, even in a newly constructed building.
- Subjects :
- Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Cross Infection diagnosis
Cross Infection mortality
Cross Infection prevention & control
Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Humans
Infection Control
Legionella pneumophila classification
Legionella pneumophila isolation & purification
Legionnaires' Disease diagnosis
Legionnaires' Disease mortality
Legionnaires' Disease prevention & control
Pennsylvania
Prospective Studies
Risk Factors
Serotyping
United States
United States Department of Veterans Affairs
Water Microbiology
Water Purification methods
Cross Infection etiology
Facility Design and Construction
Legionnaires' Disease etiology
Skilled Nursing Facilities
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0002-8614
- Volume :
- 48
- Issue :
- 12
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 11129747
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2000.tb03868.x