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Hot Water Plumbing in Residences and Office Buildings Have Distinctive Risk of Legionella pneumophila Contamination
Citation:
Donohue, M., J. Mistry, N. Tucker, AND S. Vesper. Hot Water Plumbing in Residences and Office Buildings Have Distinctive Risk of Legionella pneumophila Contamination. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYGIENE AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. Elsevier B.V., Amsterdam, Netherlands, 245:114023, (2022). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2022.114023
Impact/Purpose:
Aim: Legionella pneumophila, causative agent for legionellosis, can be transmitted through residences’ and office buildings’ premises hot water plumbing. Method and Results: Using qPCR, L. pneumophila, and L. pneumophila Serogroup (Sg)1 were measured in potable water samples from hot-water lines of 100 structures (residences: n=70 and office buildings: n=30). The water from hot-water lines in office buildings had higher L. pneumophila detection frequency: 53% (16/30), median concentration 103 GU/L. A building’s age was not a contamination risk factor, but area (>100,000 sq. ft.) was statistically significant, P=<0.001 for persistent L. pneumophila. Water from hot-water lines in residences had lower L. pneumophila detection frequency: 36% (25/70), median concentration 102 GU/L. L. pneumophila and Sg1 did not persist in the home environment: 14% (10/70) and 0% (0/70), respectively. A residences’ age was a significant persistent contamination risk factor, P=0.009, but not size (sq. ft). The water’s secondary disinfectant type did not influence L. pneumophila detection frequency nor concentration in residences but was influential in office buildings. Legionella pneumophila’s highest detection frequencies were in samples taken during June-November for residences and March-August for office buildings. Conclusion: The hot water environment in residences and office buildings possess distinctive risk of being a transmission source for legionellosis.
Description:
Aim: Legionella pneumophila, causative agent for legionellosis, can be transmitted through residences’ and office buildings’ premises hot water plumbing. Method and Results: Using qPCR, L. pneumophila, and L. pneumophila Serogroup (Sg)1 were measured in potable water samples from hot-water lines of 100 structures (residences: n=70 and office buildings: n=30). The water from hot-water lines in office buildings had higher L. pneumophila detection frequency: 53% (16/30), median concentration 103 GU/L. A building’s age was not a contamination risk factor, but area (>100,000 sq. ft.) was statistically significant, P=<0.001 for persistent L. pneumophila. Water from hot-water lines in residences had lower L. pneumophila detection frequency: 36% (25/70), median concentration 102 GU/L. L. pneumophila and Sg1 did not persist in the home environment: 14% (10/70) and 0% (0/70), respectively. A residences’ age was a significant persistent contamination risk factor, P=0.009, but not size (sq. ft). The water’s secondary disinfectant type did not influence L. pneumophila detection frequency nor concentration in residences but was influential in office buildings. Legionella pneumophila’s highest detection frequencies were in samples taken during June-November for residences and March-August for office buildings. Conclusion: The hot water environment in residences and office buildings possess distinctive risk of being a transmission source for legionellosis.
URLs/Downloads:
DOI: Hot Water Plumbing in Residences and Office Buildings Have Distinctive Risk of Legionella pneumophila Contamination
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