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Controlling Legionella using copper‐silver ionization
Author(s) -
States Stanley,
Kuchta John,
Young William,
Conley Louis,
Ge John,
Costello Michael,
Dowling John,
Wadowsky Robert
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal ‐ american water works association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.466
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1551-8833
pISSN - 0003-150X
DOI - 10.1002/j.1551-8833.1998.tb08504.x
Subject(s) - legionella , legionella pneumophila , contamination , environmental science , legionnaires' disease , nursing homes , chlorine , medicine , environmental engineering , chemistry , bacteria , biology , nursing , ecology , genetics , organic chemistry
Nursing homes as well as hospitals are at risk for Legionella contamination. Hospital‐acquired Legionnaires' disease, associated with contaminated hot water plumbing systems, is a well‐documented problem in hospitals and may also be a problem in nursing homes. In this study, four nursing homes were surveyed to determine the extent to which potable hot water systems were colonized by Legionella pneumophila and to measure microbial and chemical factors related to legionellae contamination. The survey indicated that two of the homes were heavily contaminated with Legionella and suggested that contamination is associated with hot water temperatures, chlorine concentrations, the presence of free‐living amoebae, and possibly intermittent seeding of building plumbing systems with legionellae from the public water supply. The most heavily colonized nursing home plumbing system was then equipped with a copper‐silver ionization device, designed to control Legionella. A subsequent two‐year evaluation indicated that the device controlled Legionella but not amoebae or non‐ Legionellaceae bacteria. Maintenance of the ionization system and monitoring of legionellae and metals concentrations in the water are important for effective use of the control device.