Characterisation of Microbial Community Associated with Different Disinfection Treatments in Hospital hot Water Networks

Stefania Paduano, Isabella Marchesi, Maria Elisabetta Casali, Federica Valeriani, Giuseppina Frezza, Elena Vecchi, Luca Sircana, Vincenzo Romano Spica, Paola Borella and Annalisa Bargellini
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Stefania Paduano: Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, Section of Public Health, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
Isabella Marchesi: Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, Section of Public Health, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
Maria Elisabetta Casali: Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, Section of Public Health, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
Federica Valeriani: Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, Public Health Unit, University of Rome ‘Foro Italico’, 00135 Rome, Italy
Giuseppina Frezza: Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, Section of Public Health, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
Elena Vecchi: University Hospital Policlinico of Modena, 41124 Modena, Italy
Luca Sircana: University Hospital Policlinico of Modena, 41124 Modena, Italy
Vincenzo Romano Spica: Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, Public Health Unit, University of Rome ‘Foro Italico’, 00135 Rome, Italy
Paola Borella: Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, Section of Public Health, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
Annalisa Bargellini: Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, Section of Public Health, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 6, 1-17

Abstract: Many disinfection treatments can be adopted for controlling opportunistic pathogens in hospital water networks in order to reduce infection risk for immunocompromised patients. Each method has limits and strengths and it could determine modifications on bacterial community. The aim of our investigation was to study under real-life conditions the microbial community associated with different chemical (monochloramine, hydrogen peroxide, chlorine dioxide) and non-chemical (hyperthermia) treatments, continuously applied since many years in four hot water networks of the same hospital. Municipal cold water, untreated secondary, and treated hot water were analysed for microbiome characterization by 16S amplicon sequencing. Cold waters had a common microbial profile at genera level. The hot water bacterial profiles differed according to treatment. Our results confirm the effectiveness of disinfection strategies in our hospital for controlling potential pathogens such as Legionella , as the investigated genera containing opportunistic pathogens were absent or had relative abundances ≤1%, except for non-tuberculous mycobacteria, Sphingomonas , Ochrobactrum and Brevundimonas . Monitoring the microbial complexity of healthcare water networks through 16S amplicon sequencing is an innovative and effective approach useful for Public Health purpose in order to verify possible modifications of microbiota associated with disinfection treatments.

Keywords: environmental microbiome; waterborne opportunistic pathogens; biocides; water distribution systems; microbial ecology; 16S amplicon sequencing; hospital building (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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