Hospital water point-of-use filtration: A complementary strategy to reduce the risk of nosocomial infection

• Published in: American journal of infection control Vol. 33; no. 5; pp. S1 - S19
• Main Authors: Ortolano, Girolamo A., McAlister, Morven B., Angelbeck, Judy A., Schaffer, Jeffrey, Russell, Rosalind L., Maynard, Elise, Wenz, Barry
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: St. Louis, MO Mosby, Inc 01.06.2005; Mosby
• Subjects: Biofilms; Biological and medical sciences; Cross Infection - prevention & control; Epidemiology. Vaccinations; Filtration - instrumentation; General aspects; Hospitals; Human infectious diseases. Experimental studies and models; Humans; Infection Control - instrumentation; Infectious diseases; Legionellosis - prevention & control; Medical sciences; Risk Factors; Water Microbiology; Prevention; Check; Nosocomial infection; Filtration; Tap water; Risk factor
• ISSN: 0196-6553; 1527-3296
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2005.03.014

Cholera, hepatitis and typhoid are well-recognized water-borne illnesses that take the lives of many every year in areas of uncontrollable flood, but far less attention is afforded to the allegedly safe potable water in affluent nations and the presumed healthful quality of water in communities and hospitals. Recent literature, however, points to increasing awareness of serious clinical sequelae particularly experienced by immunocompromised patients at high risk for disease and death from exposure to water-borne microbes in hospitals. This review reflects the literature indicting hospital water as an important source for nosocomial infections, examines patient populations at greatest risk, uncovers examples of failures in remedial water treatment methods and the reasons for them, and introduces point-of-use water filtration as a practical alternative or complementary component of an infection control strategy that may reduce the risk of nosocomial infections.