Other
Bus Water Storage Tank as a Reservoir of Legionella pneumophila
Anamarija Jurčev-Savičević
; Teaching Public Health Institute of Split and Dalmatia County, Split, Croatia
Katija Barač Juretić
; Teaching Public Health Institute of Split and Dalmatia County, Split, Croatia
Nikola Bradarić
; University of Split, University Hospital Center Split, Split, Croatia
Vlado Ožić Paić
; Teaching Public Health Institute of Split and Dalmatia County, Split, Croatia
Rosanda Mulić
; University of Split, School of Medicine, Split, Croatia
Dinko Puntarić
; »J. J. Strossmayer« University, School of Medicine, Osijek, Croatia
Antonija Mikrut
; Teaching Public Health Institute of Split and Dalmatia County, Split, Croatia
Toni Žitko
; Teaching Public Health Institute of Split and Dalmatia County, Split, Croatia
Kornelija Miše
; University of Split, University Hospital Center Split, Split, Croatia
Abstract
Health concerns associated with Legionnaires’ disease have been identified as an area of the increasing public and professional interest. Any natural water or man-made water systems worldwide might be reservoirs of Legionellae. We presented a sporadic, community-acquired case of Legionnaires’ disease caused by Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 in a bus driver who used water for hand and face washing from a bus water storage tank. The history of any other usual place of exposure to Legionellae was negative. The water from the tank was dirty, filled with sediment and leaves, at the temperature of 22°C. The water was heavily contaminated with Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 isolated from each sample with the concentration of 66,000, 16,000, 42,000, 56,000 and 34,000 CFU/L. The disinfection of the bus water storage tank was made using hyperclorination with 50 mg/L of free residual chlorine. The control sampling one week after the disinfection yielded negative results. So far, there are no recommendations on regular management or disinfection of water in bus storage tanks, but it seems to be reasonable to assume that passengers as well as bus drivers may be exposed to Legionella and therefore at risk of acquiring the infection. These recommendations should include regular empting, rinsing and filling the tank with fresh tap water, at least once a week. Finally, we have to be aware that Legionella bacteria are ubiquitous and any potential mode of producing contaminated aerosol should not be overlooked during an epidemiological field investigation and proposed appropriate measures.
Keywords
Lwgionellae; Legionella pneumophila; Legionnaires’ disease; bus; public transport; water storage tank; hyperclorination; prevention; Croatia
Hrčak ID:
128220
URI
Publication date:
30.9.2014.
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