Background
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important nosocomial pathogen that commonly colonizes hospital water supplies,
including in taps and sinks. We report the transmission of P. aeruginosa from water to patients in a clinical hematology setting.
Methods
P. aeruginosa from water samples were compared to clinical isolates from hematology ward patients,
via molecular typing (pulsed field gel electrophoresis).
Results
P. aeruginosa cultured from blood cultures from 3 patients was indistinguishable from water strains,
by molecular typing. Based on infection control inspections, the transmission event
was surmised to be due to cleaning of equipment, specifically an infusion therapy
procedure tray used to transport intravenous drugs to patients, with water from an
outlet colonized by P. aeruginosa.
Conclusion
We show the importance of holistic factors, such as disposal of patient waste water,
cleaning of tap outlets, and cleaning of medical equipment, in the transmission of
P. aeruginosa, and demonstrate that the role of waterborne transmission of this organism in a hematology
setting cannot be overlooked. We suggest that appropriate management of water, including
both holistic and engineering interventions, is needed to stop transmission of P. aeruginosa from water to patients.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: November 28, 2017
Footnotes
Conflicts of Interest: None to report.
Identification
Copyright
© 2018 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
