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The sporadic nature of Legionella pneumophila and Mycobacterium avium at Residential and Office Buildings - a public health perspective
Citation:
Donohue, M. The sporadic nature of Legionella pneumophila and Mycobacterium avium at Residential and Office Buildings - a public health perspective. 2018 APHA Annual Meeting and Expo, San Deigo, CA, November 10 - 15, 2018.
Impact/Purpose:
These findings will help craft a better understanding in identifying which locality has the highest exposure probability of disseminate illness and help efforts to identify sources of exposure.
Description:
Legionella pneumophila and Mycobacterium avium are bacteria that causes respiratory diseases (legionellosis and pulmonary NTM disease) in humans and therefore are of interest to the Public Health community. Understanding where infections may have occurred is important information that could be used to refine public health guidance documents or help public health investigator apply prevention measures to reduce exposure. Legionella pneumophila and Mycobacterium avium are water-borne pathogens. This study looked at occurrence and concentrations of L. pneumophila and M. avium in on-premise water taken from residential and office buildings. Between the years of 2009-2014, potable water from 136 taps (62 residential and 74 commercial) across the United States were monitored for the presence of these microorganisms. Water was collected at three independent time points for a total of 408 samples. In general, three liters of water were filtered through a polycarbonate membrane. The DNA was extracted from the captured material. Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) was then used to detect and measure the concentrations of these microorganisms in the final extract. Both microorganisms were detected in the potable water from both residential and office buildings. Of the 62 taps that were located in a residence, 27% were positive for L. pneumophila, and 23% were positive for M. avium. The 74 taps that were located in a building, 41% and 39% were positive for M. avium and L. pneumophila, respectively. Longitudinal data revealed the L. pneumophila persisted for longer lengths of time in water from residences and at higher concentrations (avg: 10,830 genomic targets/L, Max: 82,250 genomic targets/L). For M. avium, higher concentrations (avg: 715 genomic targets/L, Max: 148,270 genomic targets/L) were detected in buildings. These findings will help craft a better understanding in identifying which locality has the highest exposure probability of disseminate illness and help efforts to identify sources of exposure.
