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Persistent Isolation of an Unusual Pseudomonas Species From a Phenolic Disinfectant System

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Kathryn A. Newman ,
James H. Tenney ,
Harry A. Oken ,
Marcia R. Moody ,
Raynor Wharton  and
Stephen C. Schimpff
Kathryn A. Newman*
Affiliation:
University of Maryland Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
James H. Tenney
Affiliation:
University of Maryland Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
Harry A. Oken
Affiliation:
University of Maryland Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
Marcia R. Moody
Affiliation:
University of Maryland Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
Raynor Wharton
Affiliation:
University of Maryland Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
Stephen C. Schimpff
Affiliation:
University of Maryland Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
*
University of Maryland Cancer Center, University of Maryland Hospital, 22 South Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201
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Abstract

A well-characterized unusual Pseudomonas species contaminated the piped disinfectant system of a newly-opened laminar air flow intensive care facility. This organism was frequently isolated (104-106 cfu/ml) from phenolic diluted 1:256 in the system, and could also be recovered (0.01-0.2 cfu/ml) from undiluted phenolic. During the 20-month period when this unusual Pseudomonas was present, none of the severely compromised, granulocytopenic oncology patients treated in the intensive care facility were either colonized or infected with this Pseudomonas sp. Eradication of the organism from the system proved difficult and was accomplished by removing a contaminated reservoir of diluted phenolic disinfectant followed by transient cleansing of the system with very high concentrations (84,000 ppm) of chlorine. This experience demonstrates that phenolics should be added to the list of disinfectants which can harbor Pseudomonas spp. in the clinical setting.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 5 , Issue 5 , May 1984 , pp. 219 - 222
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 1984

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