Hospital-acquired legionnaires disease in a university hospital: impact of the copper-silver ionization system.

Abstract

We evaluated the impact of the copper-silver ionization system in a hospital where hyperendemic nosocomial legionellosis and was present and all previous disinfection measures had failed. After implementation of the copper-silver ionization system, environmental colonization with Legionella species decreased significantly, and the incidence of nosocomial legionellosis decreased dramatically, from 2.45 to 0.18 cases per 1000 patient discharges.

• Authors: Josep Mòdol, Miquel Sabrià, Esteban Reynaga, Maria L Pedro-Botet, Nieves Sopena, Pere Tudela, Irma Casas, Celestino Rey-Joly
• Journal: Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (Clin Infect Dis) Vol. 44 Issue 2 Pg. 263-5 (Jan 15 2007) ISSN: 1537-6591 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 17173228 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Silver
• Copper

Topics

• Air Ionization
• Copper
• Cross Infection (epidemiology)
• Disease Outbreaks
• Disinfection
• Environmental Monitoring
• Epidemiological Monitoring
• Humans
• Incidence
• Legionella (isolation & purification)
• Legionnaires' Disease (epidemiology)
• Maintenance and Engineering, Hospital (methods)
• Silver
• Water Microbiology
• Water Purification (methods)