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Legionellaceae in the potable water of Nova Scotia hospitals and Halifax residences

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

T. Marrie ,
P. Green ,
S. Burbridge ,
G. Bezanson ,
S. Neale ,
P. S. Hoffman  and
D. Haldane
T. Marrie
Affiliation:
The Departments of Medicine Microbiology, Dalhousie University and the Victoria General Hospital Halifax, Nova Scotia
P. Green
Affiliation:
The Departments of Medicine
S. Burbridge
Affiliation:
The Departments of Medicine
G. Bezanson
Affiliation:
Microbiology, Dalhousie University and the Victoria General Hospital Halifax, Nova Scotia
S. Neale
Affiliation:
Microbiology, Dalhousie University and the Victoria General Hospital Halifax, Nova Scotia
P. S. Hoffman
Affiliation:
Microbiology, Dalhousie University and the Victoria General Hospital Halifax, Nova Scotia
D. Haldane
Affiliation:
The Departments of Medicine Microbiology, Dalhousie University and the Victoria General Hospital Halifax, Nova Scotia
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Summary

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Water was cultured from 39 of 48 hospitals (7 Halifax hospitals and 32 non-Halifax hospitals) in the province of Nova Scotia and from 90 residences (74 private dwellings, 16 apartments) in Halifax to determine the frequency of legionella contamination. Six of seven Halifax hospitals had Legionellaceae isolated from their potable water compared with 3 of 32 non-Halifax hospitals (P < 0.0001). Overall. 19 of 59 (32%) of the water samples from Halifax hospitals were positive for legionellae compared with 5 of 480 (1%) samples from non-Halifax hospitals (P < 0.0000). Five of the six positive Halifax hospitals had Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 and 1 had L. longbeachae serogroup 2 recovered from their potable water. Legionella contamination was associated with older, larger (> 50 beds) hospitals with total system recirculation. These hospitals also had water with a higher pH and calcium content but lower sodium, potassium, nitrate, iron and copper content.

Fourteen of the 225 (6.2%) water samples from Halifax residences were positive for legionellae – 8% (6/74) of the single family dwellings were positive, compared with 25% (4/16) apartments. The positivity rate of 15.7% for the 19 electric hot-water heaters in Halifax homes was not significantly different from the 32% positivity for Halifax hospitals. L. longbeachae accounted for 2 of the 14 isolates of legionellae from Halifax homes.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 112 , Issue 1 , February 1994 , pp. 143 - 150
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1994

References

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