Detection of Legionella Anisa in Water from Hospital Dental Chair Units and Molecular Characterization by Whole-Genome Sequencing

Giuseppe Fleres; Natacha Couto; Mariette Lokate; Luc  W. M. van der Sluis; Christophe Ginevra; Sophie Jarraud; Ruud  H. Deurenberg; John  W. Rossen; Silvia García-Cobos; Alex  W. Friedrich

doi:10.3390/microorganisms6030071

Microorganisms (Jul 2018)

Detection of Legionella Anisa in Water from Hospital Dental Chair Units and Molecular Characterization by Whole-Genome Sequencing

Giuseppe Fleres,
Natacha Couto,
Mariette Lokate,
Luc W. M. van der Sluis,
Christophe Ginevra,
Sophie Jarraud,
Ruud H. Deurenberg,
John W. Rossen,
Silvia García-Cobos,
Alex W. Friedrich

Affiliations

Giuseppe Fleres: Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen 9712 CP, The Netherlands
Natacha Couto: Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen 9712 CP, The Netherlands
Mariette Lokate: Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen 9712 CP, The Netherlands
Luc W. M. van der Sluis: Center of Dentistry and Oral Hygiene, University Medical Center Groningen, 9712 CP Groningen, The Netherlands
Christophe Ginevra: International Center for Infectiology Research (CIRI), Inserm, U1111, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69007 Lyon, France
Sophie Jarraud: International Center for Infectiology Research (CIRI), Inserm, U1111, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69007 Lyon, France
Ruud H. Deurenberg: Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen 9712 CP, The Netherlands
John W. Rossen: Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen 9712 CP, The Netherlands
Silvia García-Cobos: Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen 9712 CP, The Netherlands
Alex W. Friedrich: Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen 9712 CP, The Netherlands

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms6030071
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 6, no. 3
p. 71

Abstract

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This study aims to assess contamination with Legionella spp. in water from dental chair units (DCUs) of a hospital dental ward and to perform its molecular characterization by whole-genome sequencing (WGS). We collect eight water samples (250 mL) from four DCUs (sink and water-syringe). Samples are tested for the presence of Legionella spp. (CFUs/mL) by culturing according to the Nederland Norm (NEN) 6265. Three DCUs are found positive for Legionella anisa, and four isolates are cultured (sink n = 2, water-syringe n = 1; two isolates from the same chair) with 1 × 102 CFU/mL. Whole-genome multi-locus sequence typing (wgMLST) results indicate that all strains belong to the same cluster with two to four allele differences. Classical culture combined with WGS allows the identification of a unique clone of L. anisa in several DCUs in the same hospital dental ward. This may indicate a common contamination source in the dental unit waterlines, which was fixed by replacing the chairs and main pipeline of the unit. Our results reveal tap water contamination in direct contact with patients and the usefulness of WGS to investigate bacterial molecular epidemiology.

Published in Microorganisms

ISSN: 2076-2607 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Biology (General)
Website: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/microorganisms

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