Transmission of Legionnaires' Disease through Toilet Flushing

Emerg Infect Dis. 2020 Jul;26(7):1526-1528. doi: 10.3201/eid2607.190941.

Abstract

We describe 2 cases of healthcare-associated Legionnaires' disease in patients in France hospitalized 5 months apart in the same room. Whole-genome sequencing analyses showed that clinical isolates from the patients and isolates from the room's toilet clustered together. Toilet contamination by Legionella pneumophila could lead to a risk for exposure through flushing.

Keywords: Bacteria; Legionella pneumophila; Legionnaires’ disease; healthcare-associated infections; nosocomial infections; phylogeny; pneumophilia; respiratory infections; toilet; transmission.

MeSH terms

  • Bathroom Equipment*
  • Cross Infection*
  • France
  • Humans
  • Legionella pneumophila* / genetics
  • Legionnaires' Disease* / diagnosis
  • Legionnaires' Disease* / epidemiology