Isolation of Pittsburgh pneumonia agent from nebulizers used in respiratory therapy.

Abstract

Brief Reports1 October 1980Isolation of Pittsburgh Pneumonia Agent from Nebulizers Used in Respiratory TherapyG. W. GORMAN, B.S., V.L. YU, M.D., A. BROWN, M.D., J.A. HALL, M.S., W.T. MARTIN, M.S., W.F. BIBB, M.S., G.K. MORRIS, Ph.D., M.H. MAGNUSSEN, M.P.H., D.W. FRASER, M.D.G. W. GORMAN, B.S.Search for more papers by this author, V.L. YU, M.D.Search for more papers by this author, A. BROWN, M.D.Search for more papers by this author, J.A. HALL, M.S.Search for more papers by this author, W.T. MARTIN, M.S.Search for more papers by this author, W.F. BIBB, M.S.Search for more papers by this author, G.K. MORRIS, Ph.D.Search for more papers by this author, M.H. MAGNUSSEN, M.P.H.Search for more papers by this author, D.W. FRASER, M.D.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-93-4-572 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptPittsburgh pneumonia agent was recently reported by Pasculle and colleagues (1) to cause pneumonia. It was further characterized by Hébert and associates (2). Most cases of Pittsburgh pneumonia recognized so far have affected immunosuppressed patients (3) and have appeared to be hospital acquired. However, the source of bacteria and means of transmission have not been defined. In our search for L. pneumophila in the hospital environment, we have found Pittsburgh pneumonia agent in respiratory nebulizers. Our findings imply that Pittsburghpneumonia agent, like L. pneumophila, may be disseminated in environmental aerosols.Samples were taken from the couplant reservoirs (Figure 1)...