Hospital-acquired legionnaires disease in a university hospital: Impact of the copper-silver ionization system

Abstract

We evaluated the impact of the copper-silver ionization system in a hospital where hyperendemic nosocomial legionellosis and was present and all previous disinfection measures had failed. After implementation of the copper-silver ionization system, environmental colonization with Legionella species decreased significantly, and the incidence of nosocomial legionellosis decreased dramatically, from 2.45 to 0.18 cases per 1000 patient discharges. © 2006 by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved.