Plumbing Pathogens: A Fixture in Hospitals and Homes

Carol Potera, based in Montana, also writes for Microbe, Genetic Engineering News, and the American Journal of Nursing. About This Article open Citation: Potera C. 2015. Plumbing pathogens: a fixture in hospitals and homes. Environ Health Perspect 123:A217; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.123-A217 News Topics: Drinking Water Quality, Built Environment, Infectious Disease, Microbial Agents Published: 1 August 2015 PDF Version (540 KB) Related EHP Article Epidemiology and Ecology of Opportunistic Premise Plumbing Pathogens: Legionella pneumophila, Mycobacterium avium, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa Joseph O. Falkinham III, Elizabeth D. Hilborn, Matthew J. Arduino, Amy Pruden, and Marc A. Edwards Practicing good hygiene is supposed to make you healthier, not sicker. However, a growing body of research shows that certain bacteria can thrive in household and hospital plumbing systems and may cause life-threatening infections among susceptible individuals after inhalation or ingestion. In this issue of EHP, Joseph Falkinham of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg and colleagues review the epidemiology and ecology of what are known as opportunistic premise plumbing pathogens (OPPPs).1 “Premise plumbing” refers to the pipes and fixtures within a building that transport water to taps after it is delivered by the utility. OPPPs are so ubiquitous in plumbing systems that many experts now consider them normal inhabitants, rather than contaminants, of dr...
Source: EHP Research - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Featured News Science Selection August 2015 Built Environment Drinking Water Quality Infectious Disease Microbial Agents Source Type: research