Legionella pneumophila contamination in a steam towel warmer in a hospital setting

Higa, F.; Koide, M.; Haroon, A.; Haranaga, S.; Yamashiro, T.; Tateyama, M.; Fujita, J.

doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2011.12.011

« Previous Next »Journal of Hospital Infection
Volume 80, Issue 3 , Pages 259-261, March 2012

Legionella pneumophila contamination in a steam towel warmer in a hospital setting

F. Higa
- Department of Infectious, Respiratory, and Digestive Medicine, Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
- Corresponding author. Address: Department of Infectious, Respiratory, and Digestive Medicine, Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, 207 Uehara, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0215, Japan. Tel.: +81 98 895 1144; fax: +81 98 895 1414.
M. Koide
- Department of Infectious, Respiratory, and Digestive Medicine, Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
A. Haroon
- Department of Infectious, Respiratory, and Digestive Medicine, Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
S. Haranaga
- Department of Infectious, Respiratory, and Digestive Medicine, Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
T. Yamashiro
- Department of Blood Transfusion, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
M. Tateyama
- Department of Infectious, Respiratory, and Digestive Medicine, Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
J. Fujita
- Department of Infectious, Respiratory, and Digestive Medicine, Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan

Received 28 September 2011; accepted 15 December 2011. published online 24 January 2012.

by J.A. Child

Summary

For prevention of nosocomial legionellosis, environmental investigation to identify possible infectious sources is essential. An environmental study in a ward of our hospital revealed that a steam towel warmer was contaminated with legionella whereas no legionella was detected in tap water supplies and shower heads. Water in the apparatus may be a reservoir of legionella. We abandoned the use of all steam towel warmers in our hospital. Based on this finding, we recommend that steam towel warmers in hospital settings be avoided. Otherwise, the apparatus should be drained, cleaned and dried every day.

Keywords: Environment, Healthcare infection, Legionella, Steam towel warmers