Nosocomial outbreak of Pseudomonas aeruginosa folliculitis associated with a physiotherapy pool

Abstract

Outbreaks of community-acquired Pseudomonas aeruginosa folliculitis have recently been described in association with health spa whirlpools. In February 1984 we detected an outbreak of Pseudomonas folliculitis among hospital staff and patients using a swimming pool in a newly constructed physiotherapy unit. A rash developed in 5 (45%) of the 11 physiotherapists who had used the pool, as compared with 0 of the 17 who had not (p less than 0 005). Pseudomonas folliculitis also developed in 6 (21%) of 29 outpatients and 4 (33%) of 12 inpatients who had used the facility; Pseudomonas infection of a surgical wound also developed in 1 of the 4 inpatients. The epidemic curve was consistent with a continuing common-source outbreak. P. aeruginosa, serotype O:10, was isolated from three physiotherapists, the patient with an infected surgical wound and the pool. A case-control study of pool users did not identify risk factors for infection, although the physiotherapists had spent longer in the pool than had the patients. After hyperchlorination and structural repairs to the pool, no further cases were identified among pool users. This outbreak is the first reported nosocomial outbreak of Pseudomonas folliculitis. Further investigation is needed to determine the risk of serious Pseudomonas infections in hospitalized patients using physiotherapy pools.