Electronic-Eye Faucets:LegionellaSpecies Contamination in Healthcare Settings

Abstract

Objective.: To compare heterotrophic plate counts (HPCs) andLegionellaspecies growth from electronic and manual faucet water samples.Design.: Proportions of water samples with growth and colony-forming units were compared using Fisher's exact test and the Wilcoxon rank-sum test, respectively.Setting.: Two psychiatric units and 1 medical unit in a 1,000-bed university hospital.Methods.: Water samples were collected from 20 newly installed electronic faucets and 20 existing manual faucets in 3 hospital units. Manual faucets were located in rooms adjacent to the electronic faucets and received water from the same source. Water samples were collected between December 15, 2008, and January 29, 2009. Four electronic faucets were dismantled, and faucet components were cultured.Legionellaspecies and HPC cultures were performed using standard methods.Results.: Nearly all electronic faucets (19/20 [95%]) grewLegionellaspecies from at least 1 water sample, compared with less than half (9/20 [45%]) of manual faucets (P= .001). Fifty-four (50%) of 108 electronic faucet water cultures grewLegionellaspecies, compared with 11 (15%) of 75 manual faucet water cultures (P< .001). After chlorine dioxide remediation, 4 (14%) of 28 electronic faucet and 1 (3%) of 30 manual faucet water cultures grewLegionellaspecies (P= .19), and 8 (29%) electronic faucet and 2 (7%) manual faucet cultures had significant HPC growth (P= .04). All 12 (100%) of die internal faucet components from 2 electronic faucets grewLegionellaspecies.Conclusions.: Electronic faucets were more commonly contaminated withLegionellaspecies and other bacteria and were less likely to be disinfected after chlorine dioxide remediation. Electronic faucet components may provide points of concentrated bacterial growth.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol2012;33(3):235-240