Fatal Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia in a previously healthy woman was most likely associated with a contaminated hot tub

• DOI: 10.1007/s15010-011-0096-6
• Publication Date: 2011-03-31T17:28:11Z
• Authors: S. Huhulescu; M. Simon; M. Lubnow; M. Kaase; G. Wewalka; A. T. Pietzka; A. Stöger; W. Ruppitsch; F. Allerberger
• Keywords: Microbiology (medical); 0301 basic medicine; Hot Temperature; Stem Cells; Case Report; Middle Aged; Health Resorts; 6. Clean water; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; 3. Good health; Community-Acquired Infections; 03 medical and health sciences; Infectious Diseases; Fatal Outcome; Germany; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Humans; Female; Pseudomonas Infections; Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis; Water Microbiology

Community-acquired pneumonia due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa in previously healthy individuals is a rare disease that associated with high fatality. On 14 February 2010 49-year-old woman presented an emergency room signs and symptoms of pneumonia, 2 days after returning from spa holiday wellness hotel. Blood cultures respiratory specimens grew P. aeruginosa. Despite adequate antimicrobial therapy, the patient died septic multiorgan failure on day nine hospitalization. 26, water samples were taken hotel facilities used by patient: In hot tub sample 37,000 colony-forming units aeruginosa/100 ml detected. Two five individual colonies primary plate for this found be genetically closely related patients' isolates. Results PFGE, AFLP MLST analysis allowed two lung isolates gained at autopsy whirlpool bathtub allocated into one cluster. The most likely acquired contaminated hotel's tub. detection numbers indicates massive biofilm formation bath circulation severe deficiencies hygienic maintenance. increasing popularity tubs hotels private homes demands increased awareness about potential health risks deficient