[Field study to obtain Legionella-free water from showers and sinks of a transplantation unit by a system of water filters].

The efficiency of filters for elimination of Legionella was examined in a ten month field study. Showers and sinks of twelve patient rooms were equipped with nylon 66-polyamid filters. Before filtration the total number of colonies was very high with an arithmetical mean of 1131 cfu/ml. This could be reduced by filtration at the sinks (mean = 205 cfu/ml). After equipping showers with filters we found a significant increase in the total number of colonies (mean = 1961 cfu/ml). In non-filtered water we found Legionella in nearly 90% of the 648 samples, the concentration extended to 300 cfu/ml (mean = 51 cfu/ml). After filtration the concentration of Legionella was up to 280 cfu/ml in 7.3% of the 665 samples. We calculated a logistic regression model to examine the effects of the age of the filters and the duration of their use since the last sterilization. These parameters were calculated from the time of the break through or retrograde contamination with Legionella. There were clear differences between shower and sink filters. Assuming a 5% probability of break through or retrograde contamination with Legionella, the sink filters should be sterilized every 3 weeks without regards to the age of the filters. In contrast the shower filters may be used for 3 weeks if they are sterilized weekly. If weekly sterilization is not feasible they should be used for 2 weeks only. In our study it was not possible to achieve Legionella-free water by changing either the frequency of sterilization or the age of the filters.