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Di Onofrio V, Pagano M, Santulli M, Rossi A, Liguori R, Di Dio M, Liguori G. Contamination of Hotel Water Distribution Systems by Legionella Species: Environmental Surveillance in Campania Region, South Italy. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1840. [PMID: 37513012 PMCID: PMC10385258 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11071840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic period was marked by the absence or reduced circulation of some infectious diseases. Legionellosis may have been affected by the prevention measures adopted to counter COVID-19. Legionellosis is a form of pneumonia interstitial that is normally transmitted via aerosol-containing bacteria (genus Legionella), that could be present in contaminated water sources and is often associated with travel and with staying in hotels. In this work, the data of the environmental surveys carried out by ARPA Campania in accommodation facilities since 2019 were analyzed for a better understanding of the dispersion patterns of L. pneumophila associated with the environment and to evaluate the variation of the data during the pandemic period. The aim was to provide a better understanding of Legionella at different geographic scales and to define a predictive epidemiological method. Results: In 2019, the Legionella genus contaminated 37.7% of all tourist facilities evaluated. In 2020, the Legionella genus contaminated 44.4% of all tourist facilities evaluated. In 2021, the Legionella genus contaminated 54.2% of all tourist facilities evaluated. Conclusions: Legionella pneumophila was the most prevalent species in our community, serogroup 1 was the most frequently isolated and the most implicated risk factor of contamination was the temperature of water in circulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Di Onofrio
- International PhD Programme/UNESCO Chair "Environment, Resources and Sustainable Development", Department of Sciences and Technologies, University of Naples "Parthenope", Business District, Block C4, 80143 Naples, Italy
| | - Mariangela Pagano
- ARPA Campania-Salerno Department-Via Lanzalone, 54/56, 84100 Salerno, Italy
| | - Marco Santulli
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, "G. d'Annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy
| | - Annamaria Rossi
- ARPA Campania-Salerno Department-Via Lanzalone, 54/56, 84100 Salerno, Italy
| | - Renato Liguori
- International PhD Programme/UNESCO Chair "Environment, Resources and Sustainable Development", Department of Sciences and Technologies, University of Naples "Parthenope", Business District, Block C4, 80143 Naples, Italy
| | - Mirella Di Dio
- Department of Movement Sciences and Wellbeing, University of Naples "Parthenope", Via Medina n. 40, 80133 Naples, Italy
| | - Giorgio Liguori
- Department of Movement Sciences and Wellbeing, University of Naples "Parthenope", Via Medina n. 40, 80133 Naples, Italy
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Rakić A, Vukić Lušić D, Jurčev Savičević A. Influence of Metal Concentration and Plumbing Materials on Legionella Contamination. Microorganisms 2022; 10:1051. [PMID: 35630493 PMCID: PMC9147233 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10051051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Legionella colonization of water supply pipes is a significant public health problem. The objective of this work was to evaluate Legionella colonization in hotel hot water systems and to investigate the relationship between metal concentrations, piping materials (galvanized iron pipes and plastic pipes), and Legionella proliferation. Concentrations of calcium and magnesium ions and the presence of Legionella pneumophila were determined in a total of 108 water samples from the hot water systems of four hotels in Split-Dalmatia County over a 12-month period, and additional data on piping materials were collected. L. pneumophila was isolated in 23.1% of all samples-in 28.8% (15/52) of water samples from galvanized iron pipes and in 17.8% (10/56) of samples from plastic pipes. L. pneumophila serogroups 2-14 were isolated from all samples. This study found higher prevalence of L. pneumophila at higher concentrations of Ca and Mg ions (except for Mg and plastic pipes). The metal parts of the water supply may be important factors in Legionella contamination due to the possibility of lime scale or roughness of the pipes. Higher Ca and Mg ion concentrations increased the risk of Legionella colonization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Rakić
- Public Health Institute of Split-Dalmatia County, Vukovarska 46, 21000 Split, Croatia;
| | - Darija Vukić Lušić
- Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Braće Branchetta 20, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
- Department of Environmental Health, Teaching Institute of Public Health of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, Krešimirova 52a, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
- Center for Advanced Computing and Modeling, University of Rijeka, Radmile Matejčić 2, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Anamarija Jurčev Savičević
- Public Health Institute of Split-Dalmatia County, Vukovarska 46, 21000 Split, Croatia;
- Department of Health Studies, University of Split, 35 P.P. 464, Ruđera Boškovića Street, 21000 Split, Croatia
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Brunello A, Civilini M, De Martin S, Felice A, Franchi M, Iacumin L, Saccomanno N, Vitacolonna N. Machine learning-assisted environmental surveillance of Legionella: A retrospective observational study in Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy in the period 2002–2019. INFORMATICS IN MEDICINE UNLOCKED 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.imu.2021.100803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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