Legionnaire’s Disease Case Traced Back to Dental Office
Doctors have confirmed that an 83 year old woman who died from Legionnaire’s disease contracted the infection from a dental practice.
The case, which was reported in The Lancet, involves an 83-year-old woman who was taken into hospital in Rome after suffering from breathing problems and a high temperature. She was quickly diagnosed with Legionnaire’s disease and given a high dose of antibiotics, but sadly died two days later.
The patient had only left home twice within the incubation period of between 2 and 10 days and both trips were to the dentist. Samples of water were taken from the waterline, the tube that supplies water to dental instruments and analysed. All three samples of the water tested positive for the Legionella pneumophila bacteria and the sample from the water pump was particularly convincing.
The outbreak of Legionnaire’s disease is unusual, as in most cases air conditioning units, spas and water fountains that are not properly cleaned or looked after cause the disease.
This is the first case of disease stemming from a dental waterline, despite the fact that it is known that the germ can affect waterlines.
The case report has suggested a number of recommendations, including the use of filters and sterile water and adding a continuous loop of disinfected water.
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