A Study on The Presence of Legionella pneumophila in Hospital Water Samples from Eastern Turkey

Abstract

Objective: Legionnaires' disease is a fatal form of pneumonia brought on by an infection mostly caused by the 60 different species of Legionella pneumophila. Legionnaires' illness is caused by Legionella spp.-contaminated water systems. In this work, we sought to analyze Legionella species, serogroups (SG), and contamination in the water sources of hospitals in five regions in eastern Turkey. Methods: Between January 2017 and December 2018, a total of 1008 samples were examined, including 2 cooling towers, 62 hot water tanks, 104 cold water tanks, and 840 faucet shower heads. Samples were collected by the standard culture method L. pneumophila SG 1, it was analyzed for L. pneumophila SG 2-16 and Legionella spp. The samples were inoculated into BCYE and GVPC medium, and the colonies were assessed using a latex agglutination test, followed by species- and serotype-level identifications. Results: In our study, a total of 1008 water samples were examined, of which 35.31% (356) belonged to 2017, while 64.68% (652) belonged to 2018. 83.33% of the water samples were taken from faucets and shower heads, 10.32% from the cold water tank, 6.15% from the hot water tank, and 0.2% from the cooling tower, and the highest positivity rate was observed in the hot water tank with 12.60%. 7.04% (71) of the samples were positive, and 16.9% (12) of the positive samples were L. pneumophila SG 1, 77.46% (55) L. pneumophila SG 2-14 was detected, while 5.63% (4) were nonpneumophila (Legionella spp) it has been determined as. Conclusions: Legionella disease remains a significant public health threat. The water tanks of hospitals and hotels should be investigated more thoroughly, the necessary disinfection procedures should be carried out frequently. All hospitals should have water management policies, and towns and large buildings should establish comprehensive water system management programs that decrease Legionella growth and transmission. To enhance prevention measures and clinical diagnosis, we also need quicker ways of detecting Legionella in water systems and clinical samples.