Tap Water Avoidance Decreases Rates of Hospital-onset Pulmonary Nontuberculous Mycobacteria
Arthur W. Baker, Jason E. Stout, Deverick J. Anderson, Daniel J. Sexton, Becky Smith, Rebekah W. Moehring, Kirk Huslage, Christopher J. Hostler, Sarah S. Lewis
Abstract
We analyzed the impact of a hospital tap water avoidance protocol on respiratory isolation of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). After protocol implementation, hospital-onset episodes of respiratory NTM isolation on high-risk units decreased from 41.0 to 9.9 episodes per 10 000 patient-days (incidence rate ratio, 0.24; 95% confidence interval, .17-.34; P < .0001).
Topics & Concepts
MedicineNontuberculous mycobacteriaConfidence intervalIncidence (geometry)Isolation (microbiology)Rate ratioInternal medicineRespiratory diseaseTap waterSurgeryMycobacteriumLungMicrobiologyPathologyTuberculosisEnvironmental engineeringEngineeringBiologyPhysicsOpticsMycobacterium research and diagnosisHelicobacter pylori-related gastroenterology studies