Hospital Water Contamination
A wide range of bacteria, fungi, and protozoa in the water supply may be pathogenic and should be cause for clinical concern. Common bacterial pathogens include Legionella spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and some mycobacteria. Aspergillus is a particularly disconcerting mold found in hospital water. While the pathogenicity of many waterborne parasites (e.g. C ryptosporidium parv u m) has been well documented, some protozoa such as Acanthamoeba are not only pathogenic in their own right, but they can also protect bacterial pathogens such as Legionella pneumophila from destructive chemical disinfectants and environmental forces as they support bacterial growth and replication.
Many waterborne microorganisms are opportunistic pathogens that can increase the risk of infection in immunocompromised patients. Such patients who come into contact with contaminated tap water from pointof-use sources such as faucets, showers, water fountains, and ice machines are therefore challenged with an increased potential for infection. Point-of-use water filtration has not only been shown to reduce infectious complications, but it also serves as a complementary strategy to systemic water disinfection technologies. The persistence of biofilm in healthcare facility water delivery systems provides further justification for implementing point-of-use filtration.
Anaissie et al.1 reviewed the potential sources of water and mechanisms through which water could serve as a source of infectious microorganisms A recent extensive review of topics relevant to waterborne pathogens also outlines this risk.