Investigation of Legionella and Pseudomonas aeruginosa at Six Kyunggi Medical Center Hospitals

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province will conduct a survey on the status of Legionella bacteria and other pathogens at six hospitals under the Gyeonggi Medical Center, including Suwon Hospital.

The Gyeonggi Provincial Institute of Health and Environment announced on the 8th that from this month until September, it will investigate the status of Legionella bacteria and Pseudomonas aeruginosa at six hospitals affiliated with the Gyeonggi Medical Center: Suwon Hospital, Anseong Hospital, Icheon Hospital, Uijeongbu Hospital, Paju Hospital, and Pocheon Hospital.

Last year, the Provincial Institute of Health and Environment conducted a survey on Legionella bacteria at Suwon Hospital. This year, all six hospitals expressed their willingness to participate, leading to an expanded survey.

The investigation will test for the presence of Legionella bacteria and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in each hospital’s cooling tower water, storage tanks, patient rooms within wards, and hot and cold water in intensive care units.

If contamination is found, the process will include identifying the cause, proposing solutions, and resolving and verifying the final issue.

The number of domestic patients infected with Legionella bacteria has been increasing, from 45 in 2015 to 501 in 2019, with a pneumonia mortality rate of 10%. The mortality rate is known to exceed 25% for hospital-acquired infections or immunocompromised patients.

Legionellosis is classified as a third-class infectious disease. Legionella bacteria, which exist in water supply facilities of large buildings, cooling tower water, fountains, public bath tubs, air conditioners, and natural water environments, infect people through inhalation of droplets via the respiratory tract.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a cause of healthcare-associated infections and can cause various infections such as skin infections, sepsis, and meningitis depending on the infection site.

A representative of the Provincial Institute of Health and Environment explained, "This survey is expected to contribute not only to the prevention of infectious diseases but also to the improvement of public medical services by enhancing the environment of public medical institutions frequently used by residents."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.