Hospital Plumbing and Gram-Negative Bacteria — Take Two

Two studies further highlight the risks of healthcare-acquired infections from contaminated hospital plumbing systems.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that institutions perform an epidemiologic investigation when a single healthcare-acquired case of Legionellosis is identified. However, recent studies have identified hospital plumbing systems as the source of outbreaks due to other gram-negative pathogens (NEJM JW Infect Dis Oct 2018 and Clin Infect Dis 2018; 67:171; Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2018; 39:997), and two new reports shed further light on this problem.

Johnson and collaborators undertook an epidemiologic investigation at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center after infections with Sphingomonas koreensis were identified in six inpatients within a 6-month period. A retrospective review determined that eight ot…

Reviewing Author

Richard T. Ellison III, MD

Disclosures

Consult/Advisory BoardAcurx Pharmaceuticals, LLC;

Grant/Research SupportDoctors Company Foundation, Massachusetts Department of Public Health

Richard T. Ellison III, MD

Disclosures

Consult/Advisory BoardAcurx Pharmaceuticals, LLC;

Grant/Research SupportDoctors Company Foundation, Massachusetts Department of Public Health

Hospital Plumbing and Gram-Negative Bacteria — Take Two

Topics

Reviewing Author