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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, October 2009, p. 3226-3230, Vol. 47, No. 10
0095-1137/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.00034-09
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Association between Contaminated Faucets and Colonization or Infection by Nonfermenting Gram-Negative Bacteria in Intensive Care Units in Taiwan{triangledown}

Jiun-Ling Wang,1,2,3 Mei-Ling Chen,2 Yusen Eason Lin,4 Shan-Chwen Chang,1,2,5 and Yee-Chun Chen1,2,5*

Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei,1 Center for Infection Control, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei,2 Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hospital/I-Shou University, Kaohsiung,3 Graduate Institute of Environmental Education, National Kaohsiung Normal University, Kaohsiung,4 Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan5

Received 7 January 2009/ Returned for modification 23 June 2009/ Accepted 2 July 2009

This study was designed to determine the strength of the association between the isolation of nonfermentative gram-negative bacilli (NFGNB) from tap water faucet aerators and the prevalence of colonization or infection of patients in intensive care units (ICUs). Surveillance cultures were obtained during a 4-month period from 162 faucet aerators located in seven different ICUs. The prevalence of colonization or infection of ICU patients with NFGNB was determined by prospective surveillance during the same period. Fifty four (33%) of the faucet aerators contained NFGNB. Among the 66 NFGNB isolated from faucet aerators, the most frequently encountered ones were Sphingomonas paucimobili (26 isolates), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (14 isolates), Chryseobacterium meningosepticum (13 isolates), Achromobacter xylosoxidans (6 isolates), Burkholderia cepacia (4 isolates), and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (3 isolates). Acinetobacter baumannii was not recovered. The most common NFGNB isolated from ICU patients were P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii. There was a significant correlation between the overall prevalence of NFGNB in faucet aerators and their prevalence in exposed ICU patients (Spearman r = 0.821, P = 0.02). There was also a significant correlation between the prevalence of C. meningosepticum in faucet aerators and its prevalence among ICU patients (Spearman r = 0.847, P = 0.016). The electrokaryotypes of four clinical isolates of C. meningosepticum were similar to those of faucet isolates. Measures directed at making the water supply safe may prevent infection by C. meningosepticum and other waterborne pathogens.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, No. 7 Chung-Shan South Road, Taipei, Taiwan 100. Phone: 886-2-23123456, ext. 65054. Fax: 886-2-23971412. E-mail: yeechunchen{at}gmail.com

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 8 July 2009.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, October 2009, p. 3226-3230, Vol. 47, No. 10
0095-1137/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.00034-09
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





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