Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-mkpzs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-31T23:40:39.507Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Persistent Isolation of an Unusual Pseudomonas Species From a Phenolic Disinfectant System

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Kathryn A. Newman ,
James H. Tenney ,
Harry A. Oken ,
Marcia R. Moody ,
Raynor Wharton  and
Stephen C. Schimpff
Kathryn A. Newman*
Affiliation:
University of Maryland Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
James H. Tenney
Affiliation:
University of Maryland Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
Harry A. Oken
Affiliation:
University of Maryland Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
Marcia R. Moody
Affiliation:
University of Maryland Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
Raynor Wharton
Affiliation:
University of Maryland Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
Stephen C. Schimpff
Affiliation:
University of Maryland Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
*
University of Maryland Cancer Center, University of Maryland Hospital, 22 South Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

A well-characterized unusual Pseudomonas species contaminated the piped disinfectant system of a newly-opened laminar air flow intensive care facility. This organism was frequently isolated (104-106 cfu/ml) from phenolic diluted 1:256 in the system, and could also be recovered (0.01-0.2 cfu/ml) from undiluted phenolic. During the 20-month period when this unusual Pseudomonas was present, none of the severely compromised, granulocytopenic oncology patients treated in the intensive care facility were either colonized or infected with this Pseudomonas sp. Eradication of the organism from the system proved difficult and was accomplished by removing a contaminated reservoir of diluted phenolic disinfectant followed by transient cleansing of the system with very high concentrations (84,000 ppm) of chlorine. This experience demonstrates that phenolics should be added to the list of disinfectants which can harbor Pseudomonas spp. in the clinical setting.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 5 , Issue 5 , May 1984 , pp. 219 - 222
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 1984

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Schimpff, SC, Young, VM, Greene, WH, et al: Origin of infection in acute nonlymphocytic leukemia. Ann Intern Med 1972;77:707–714.Google Scholar
2.Schimpff, SC, Satterlee, W, Young, VM, et al: Empiric therapy with carbenicillin and gentamicin for febrile patients with cancer and granulocytopenia. N Engl J Med 1971;284:1061–1065.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3.Hugh, R, Gilardi, G, Pseudomonas, in Lennette, H (ed): Manual of Clinical Microbiology, ed 3. Washington, DC, American Microbiology Society, 1980, pp 288–317.Google Scholar
4.Doudoroff, M, Palleroni, NH, Genus Pseudomonas, in Buchanan, RE, Gibbons, NE (eds): Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology. Baltimore, Williams & Wilkins Company, 1974, pp 217–243.Google Scholar
5.Stanier, RY, Palleroni, NJ, Douderoff, J, Aerobic pseudomonas: A taxonomic study. J Gen Microbiol 1966;43:159–271.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6.Newman, KA, Oken, HA, Moody, MR, et al: Isolation of P. stutzeri from phenolic disinfectant system in laminar air flow rooms. Presented at 21st Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, Chicago, Illinois, 1981.Google Scholar
7.Burdon, DW, Whitby, JL, Contamination of hospital disinfectants with Pseudomonas species. Br Med J 1967;2:153–155.Google Scholar
8.Bassett, DCJ, Stokes, KJ, Thomas, WRG, Wound infection with Pseudomonas multivorans: A water-borne contaminant of disinfectant solutions. Lancet 1970;1:1188–1191.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9.Dixon, RE, Kaslow, RA, Mackel, DC, et al: Aqueous quaternary ammonium antiseptics and disinfectants: Use and misuse. JAMA 1976;236:2415–2417.Google Scholar
10.Frank, MJ, Schaffner, W, Contaminated aqueous benzalkonium chloride: An unnecessary hospital infection hazard. JAMA 1976;236:2418–2419.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11.Ederer, GM, Matsen, JM, Colonization and infection with Pseudomonas cepacia. J Infect Dis 1972;125:613–618.Google Scholar
12.du Moulin, GC, Doyle, GO, MacKay, J, et al: Bacterial fouling of a hospital closed-loop cooling system by Pseudomonas sp. J Clin Microbiol 1981;13:1060–1065.Google Scholar
13.Steere, AC, Tenney, JH, Mackel, DC, et al: Pseudomonas sp. bacteremias caused by contaminated 25% Normal Serum Albumin (Human). J Infect Dis 1977;135:729–735.Google Scholar
14.Keys, TF, Milton, LJ, Maker, MD, et al: A suspected hospital outbreak of pseudobacteremia due to Pseudomonas stutzeri. J Infect Dis 1983;147:489–493.Google Scholar
15.Knackmuss, HJ, Hellwig, M, Utilization and cooxidation of chlorinated phenols by Pseudomonas sp. B 13. Arch Microbiol 1978;117:1–7.Google Scholar
16.Hopper, DJ, Taylor, DG, Pathways for the degradation of m-Cresol and P-Cresol by Pseudomonas putida. J Bacteriol 1975;122:1–6.Google Scholar
17.Chu, J, Kirsch, EJ, Utilization of halophenols by a pen-tachlorophenol metabolizing bacterium. Developments in Industrial Microbiology 1973;14:264–273.Google Scholar
18.Tyler, JE, Flynn, RK, Growth rates of a pseudomonad on 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 2,4-dichlorophenol. Applied Microbiology 1974;28:181–184.Google Scholar
19.Wigmore, GJ, Bayly, RC, A mutant of Pseudomonas putida with altered regulation of the enzymes for degradation of phenol and cresols. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1974;60:48–55.Google Scholar
20.Wong, CL, Dunn, NW, Combined chromosomal and plasmid encoded control for the degradation of phenol in Pseudomonas putida. Genet Res, 1976;27:405–412.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
21.Carson, LA, Favero, MS, Bond, WW, et al: Morphological, biochemical, and growth characteristics of Pseudomonas cepacia from distilled water. Applied Microbiology 1973;25:476–483.Google Scholar
22.Herman, LG, Sources of the slow-growing pigmented water bacteria. Health Laboratory Science 1976;13:5–10.Google Scholar
23.Berkelman, RL, Lewin, S, Allen, JR, et al: Pseudobacteremia attributed to contamination of povidone-iodine with Pseudomonas cepacia. Ann Intern Med 1981;95:32–36.Google Scholar
24.Craven, DE, Moody, B, Connolly, MG, et al: Pseudobacteremia caused by povidone-iodine solution contaminated with Pseudomonas cepacia. N Engl J Med 1981;305:621–623.Google Scholar