Legionella Contamination in Hot Water of Italian Hotels

Author:

Borella Paola1,Montagna Maria Teresa2,Stampi Serena3,Stancanelli Giovanna4,Romano-Spica Vincenzo5,Triassi Maria6,Marchesi Isabella1,Bargellini Annalisa1,Tatò Daniela2,Napoli Christian2,Zanetti Franca3,Leoni Erica3,Moro Matteo4,Scaltriti Stefania4,Ribera D'Alcalà Gabriella6,Santarpia Rosalba6,Boccia Stefania7

Affiliation:

1. Department of Hygiene, Microbiology and Biostatistics, University of Modena and Reggio E, Modena

2. Department of Internal Medicine and Public Health, University of Bari, Bari

3. Department of Public Medicine and Health, University of Bologna, Bologna

4. S. Raffaele Hospital, Milan

5. Department of Health Sciences, University Institute of Movement Sciences, Rome

6. Hygiene and Preventive Medicine Institute, University Federico II of Naples, Naples

7. Hygiene Institute, Catholic University in Rome, Rome, Italy

Abstract

ABSTRACT A cross-sectional multicenter survey of Italian hotels was conducted to investigate Legionella spp. contamination of hot water. Chemical parameters (hardness, free chlorine concentration, and trace element concentrations), water systems, and building characteristics were evaluated to study risk factors for colonization. The hot water systems of Italian hotels were strongly colonized by Legionella ; 75% of the buildings examined and 60% of the water samples were contaminated, mainly at levels of ≥10 3 CFU liter −1 , and Legionella pneumophila was the most frequently isolated species (87%). L. pneumophila serogroup 1 was isolated from 45.8% of the contaminated sites and from 32.5% of the hotels examined. When a multivariate logistic model was used, only hotel age was associated with contamination, but the risk factors differed depending on the contaminating species and serogroup. Soft water with higher chlorine levels and higher temperatures were associated with L. pneumophila serogroup 1 colonization, whereas the opposite was observed for serogroups 2 to 14. In conclusion, Italian hotels, particularly those located in old buildings, represent a major source of risk for Legionnaires' disease due to the high frequency of Legionella contamination, high germ concentration, and major L. pneumophila serogroup 1 colonization. The possible role of chlorine in favoring the survival of Legionella species is discussed.

Publisher

American Society for Microbiology

Subject

Ecology,Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology,Food Science,Biotechnology

Reference61 articles.

1. Invasion of Protozoa by Legionella pneumophila and Its Role in Bacterial Ecology and Pathogenesis

2. Anonymous. 1993. Directive ISO 8467 of 3 June 1993. Water quality—determination of permanganate index. International Organization for Standardization Geneva Switzerland.

3. Anonymous. 1998. Directive ISO 11731 of 30 April 1998. Water quality—detection and enumeration of Legionella . Congress of European Countries Biologists Association Abano Terme Italy.

4. Anonymous. 2000. Guidelines for prevention and control of legionellosis. Superior Institute of Health and Department of Health Rome Italy.

5. Atlas, R. M. 1999. Legionella: from environmental habitats to disease, pathology, detection and control. Environ. Microbiol.4:283-293.

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3