TY - JOUR
T1 - Environmental surveillance of Legionella spp. colonization in the water system of a large academic hospital: Analysis of the four–year results on the effectiveness of the chlorine dioxide disinfection method
AU - Vincenti, Sara
AU - De Waure, Chiara
AU - Raponi, Matteo
AU - Teleman, Adele Anna
AU - Boninti, Federica
AU - Bruno, Stefania
AU - Boccia, Stefania
AU - Damiani, Gianfranco
AU - Laurenti, Patrizia
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - The prevention of Legionella colonization of water systems is one of the goals of hospital management. Among chemical disinfection methods, chlorine dioxide (ClO2) has been largely used to control Legionella spp. in water systems. We performed a retrospective study to analyse data deriving from the surveillance plan of the water system in a large academic hospital in Rome (Italy) during the period August 2011 and August 2018. We collected the data deriving from the routine water samples used to monitor Legionella spp. colonization. Data from the water samples collected from 163 selected sampling points (hot water tanks, the return loop and distal outlets) was analysed using a life table analysis in order to investigate the duration of the effectiveness of the ClO2 method in eradicating Legionella spp. The colonization of the water sample by Legionella spp. was considered as the outcome. Our results show that in 81,59% of the sampling points Legionella spp. were never detected at four years of follow up. Chemical and physical characteristics of the water were also compared between the samples which were positive for Legionella spp. and those which were not. No association was found between these factors. The knowledge of the duration over time of the effectiveness of the ClO2 disinfection method could support decision-making processes in the framework of Risk Management activities in hospitals. Future studies could also be conducted in hospitals to compare the long-term cost-effectiveness of different Legionella spp. colonization prevention methods.
AB - The prevention of Legionella colonization of water systems is one of the goals of hospital management. Among chemical disinfection methods, chlorine dioxide (ClO2) has been largely used to control Legionella spp. in water systems. We performed a retrospective study to analyse data deriving from the surveillance plan of the water system in a large academic hospital in Rome (Italy) during the period August 2011 and August 2018. We collected the data deriving from the routine water samples used to monitor Legionella spp. colonization. Data from the water samples collected from 163 selected sampling points (hot water tanks, the return loop and distal outlets) was analysed using a life table analysis in order to investigate the duration of the effectiveness of the ClO2 method in eradicating Legionella spp. The colonization of the water sample by Legionella spp. was considered as the outcome. Our results show that in 81,59% of the sampling points Legionella spp. were never detected at four years of follow up. Chemical and physical characteristics of the water were also compared between the samples which were positive for Legionella spp. and those which were not. No association was found between these factors. The knowledge of the duration over time of the effectiveness of the ClO2 disinfection method could support decision-making processes in the framework of Risk Management activities in hospitals. Future studies could also be conducted in hospitals to compare the long-term cost-effectiveness of different Legionella spp. colonization prevention methods.
KW - Chlorine dioxide
KW - Environmental Chemistry
KW - Environmental Engineering
KW - Health care water systems
KW - Legionella
KW - Long-term effectiveness
KW - Pollution
KW - Waste Management and Disposal
KW - Chlorine dioxide
KW - Environmental Chemistry
KW - Environmental Engineering
KW - Health care water systems
KW - Legionella
KW - Long-term effectiveness
KW - Pollution
KW - Waste Management and Disposal
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10807/130194
UR - http://www.elsevier.com/locate/scitotenv
U2 - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.12.036
DO - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.12.036
M3 - Article
SN - 0048-9697
VL - 657
SP - 248
EP - 253
JO - Science of the Total Environment
JF - Science of the Total Environment
ER -