Contamination of a hospital plumbing system by persister cells of a copper-tolerant high-risk clone of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

International audiencePseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is an important opportunistic pathogen that thrives best in the distal elements of plumbing and waste-water systems. Although nosocomial outbreaks of PA have been associated with water sources, the role of the plumbing system of healthcare premises as a reservoir for this pathogen is still unclear