Effectiveness of water system chemical disinfection against Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections, despite a not-so-obvious connection.

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a well-recognized opportunistic pathogen frequently responsible for hospital-acquired infections. Acquisition routes of P aeruginosa are both endogenous and exogenous, including transmission from a portion of the hospital water system.

Methods: The impact of disinfection procedures of the water system and description routes of P aeruginosa transmission in a surgical intensive care unit over a 2-year period were investigated.