TY - JOUR
AU1 - Mastro, Timothy D.
AU2 - Fields, Barry S.
AU3 - Breiman, Robert F.
AU4 - Campbell, Joyce
AU5 - Plikaytis, Brian D.
AU6 - Spika, John S.
AB - Guidelines for the prevention of nosocomial pneumonia specify that only sterile fluids should be used for aerosol therapy; however, this recommendation may not be uniformly followed. Thirteen patients with nosocomial pneumonia due to Legionella pneumophila serogroup 3(Lp3) were identified at a community hospital in the period from 1984 through 1988; 12 patients (92%) had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; and 9 patients(69%) died. Anepidemiologic investigation suggested that the use of nebulizers to deliver medication was associated with acquiring legionnaires' disease. The hospital potable water system was contaminated with Lp3, and a survey indicated that tapwater was commonly used to wash medication nebulizers. Lp3 in respirablesize droplets was isolated from aerosols generated bya nebulizer containing Lp3 at one-tenth the concentration found in the hospital potable water. These findings support the recommendation that only sterile fluids be used forfilling or cleaning respiratory care equipment and suggest that this guideline is not universally followed.
TI - Nosocomial Legionnaires' Disease and Use of Medication Nebulizers
JF - The Journal of Infectious Diseases
DO - 10.1093/infdis/163.3.667
DA - 1991-03-01
UR - https://www.deepdyve.com/lp/oxford-university-press/nosocomial-legionnaires-disease-and-use-of-medication-nebulizers-1Lhm10ako8
SP - 667
EP - 671
VL - 163
IS - 3
DP - DeepDyve
ER -