Infezioni di origine idrica nelle strutture sanitarie

Hospital water supply is a known source of health care related infections; hospital buildings may be considered at high and medium risk for transmission of waterborne pathogens. Control of Legionella pneumophila in hospital water supply may be considered a range of issues applicable to the management of infection risk represented by colonization of hospital water networks by either pathogens or opportunistic microrganisms. Indeed Legionella prevention measures have proven to be effective for many other waterborne pathogens too. We describe the control measures adopted in the AOUP following detection in 2002 of 2 clinical cases of legionellosis and the colonization of hospital water supply by Legionella pneumophila and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Control intervention, based on continuous chlorination with chlorine dioxide and disposable 0,2 μm point-of-use filters, proved to be effective