Should electronic faucets be used in intensive care and hematology units?

• Published in: Intensive care medicine Vol. 31; no. 12; pp. 1715 - 1718
• Main Authors: MERRER, Jacques, GIROU, Emmanuelle, DUCELLIER, David, CLAVREUL, Nicole, CIZEAU, Florence, LEGRAND, Patrick, LENEVEU, Michel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer 01.12.2005; Berlin Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Clinical death. Palliative care. Organ gift and preservation; Colony Count, Microbial; Electronics; Equipment Contamination - prevention & control; Faucets; France; Hand Disinfection; Health aspects; Hematology; Hospital Units; Humans; Intensive care medicine; Intensive Care Units; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Medical sciences; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Pseudomonas Infections - prevention & control; Radiodiagnosis. Nmr imagery. Nmr spectrometry; Respiratory system; Risk factors; Toilet Facilities; Water Microbiology; Water pollution; France; Pseudomonadales; Intensive care; Hematology; Water contamination; Electronics; Faucet; Bacteria; Pseudomonadaceae; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Contamination; Resuscitation; Intensive care unit
• ISSN: 0342-4642; 1432-1238
• DOI: 10.1007/s00134-005-2824-9

To compare bacterial contamination associated with electronic faucets and manual faucets in wards admitting patients highly susceptible to infection. Water samples from electronic faucets and manual faucets were taken according to the French recommendations on water surveillance in healthcare settings. Hematology and intensive care units (ICUs) of a 900-bed university hospital and a 500-bed general hospital. Overall 227 water samples were collected, 92 from electronic faucets and 135 from manual faucets. Thirty-six (39%) of the water samples from electronic faucets and 2 (1%) from manual faucets yielded pathogenic bacteria. In hematology wards 17 (30%) samples from electronic faucets and 2 (2%) from manual faucets were contaminated. In ICUs 19 (53%) samples from electronic faucets and none of 48 from manual faucets were contaminated. All samples were contaminated with various strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (8 to >100 CFU/100 ml). Despite hyperchlorination the electronic faucets remained contaminated. Replacing the contaminated electronic faucets by manual faucets led to a complete and sustained elimination of bacterial contamination. Contamination was not associated with a particular brand of electronic faucets. Our findings demonstrate that electronic faucets are significantly more frequently contaminated than manual faucets and could be a major reservoir for P. aeruginosa. Wards admitting patients highly susceptible to infection and using electronic faucets should be aware of this potential threat. Moreover, units already equipped with these devices, should check water quality periodically.