Isolation of Legionella Pneumophila From Well-Maintained Emergency Showers and Eyewash Stations

Legionella pneumophila is a gram-negative bacterium responsible for Legionnaire's disease, and is commonly transmitted via aerosolized water. Legionella colonization of emergency eyewash and shower stations may pose an exposure hazard to users of these stations. There is little information about the role of these stations as significant reservoirs for Legionella. Samples were collected from 67 stations in an industrial facility. At the time of this study, the stations within this facility were under a routine maintenance program that included at least monthly flushing. This study also included the analysis for other bacterial organisms to determine an association between the presence and concentration of other bacteria and Legionella. All samples resulted in no detection of Legionella, yet 12 of the samples contained large counts of other bacteria. Thus, this study supports that properly maintained emergency eyewash and shower stations do not appear to be a significant source for aerosol transmission of Legionella.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Environmental Sciences

Year dc:date.available

2006

Author dc:creator

• Myers, Jessica Mae

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dr. R. Leonard Vance

• Legionnaire's disease
• hygiene
• eye
• empidemiology
• bacteria
• Environmental Sciences
• Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Statement dc:rights

• © The Author

Identifier

https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/1456

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarscompass.vcu.edu:etd-2455