Silver News
Silver Inhibits Legionnaire's Disease in Hospital Water Systems
By Samuel Etris, Senior Technical Consultant to The Silver Institute
Some 100 hospitals in the US and Canada have now installed silver-copper ionization systems to successfully eradicate Legionella pneumophila, so called Legionnaire's Disease, from their hot water pipes.
Hospital-acquired Legionnaire's disease is a major concern for the nation's care givers and is well documented in hospitals. An analysis of water distribution systems in 15 hospitals in Western Pennsylvania revealed that 60 percent had Legionella contamination; in Quebec, 68 percent of 84 hospitals tested were contaminated, and in tests of 40 hospitals in the United Kingdom, 70 percent showed its presence.
It was following the outbreak at the 1976 American Legion Convention in Philadelphia that Legionella pneumophila was identified as a separate organism. Legionella induces a form of pneumonia so severe that 20 percent of those infected do not survive. Nine major studies of outbreaks of community-acquired disease have identified Legionella as one of three microbial agents that have caused sporadic contagion. At the 4th International Symposium on Legionella in 1992, it was reported that more than 37 different strains of Legionella exist.
Realizing that domestic water distribution systems were linked as a major source of Legionella, Willowbrook, Illinois-based LiquiTech, Inc. supported a study conducted at the University of Arizona's Department of Microbiology and Immunology showing that silver and copper ions effectively control the organism. As a consequence during the past several years, hospitals across the country have installed LiquiTech silver/copper ionization systems for controlling waterborne pathogens, particularly Legionella.
The appearance of ten cases of hospital-acquired Legionella pneumophila at the Pittsburgh Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, despite regular application of the long-used superheated water-and-flush method of sanitation, resulted in an exhaustive study there to test the efficacy of silver/copper ion treatment. The Center installed two of LiquiTech's Electronic Hot Water Purification Systems. Each was installed in one of two of the Veteran's Hospital facilities, which use the same water supply. Before the test, 17 of the 26 water fixtures in the two facilities were positive to Legionella. In a second building, which acted as a control, 11 of the 21 fixtures were positive to Legionella. Following installation of the silver/copper ionization hot water purification systems in the firs building, the presence of Legionella in all fixtures was reduced in three successive months after installation to 38 percent, 19 percent and 0 percent. The presence of Legionella in the untested building during the same period was 28 percent, 86 percent, and 71 percent. After achieving the zero-posihve cultures, the system in the first building was intentionally turned off to allow the water system to recolonize with Legionella. The residual silver and copper ions in the system blocked recolonization for more than three months.
Another study conducted at the Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh was in response to the persistent presence of Legionella in the hot water plumbing system despite regular thermal purging over a two-year period. Following the installation of the company's Electronic Hot Water Purification System in their water circuits, not only was the elimination of the organism from the water supply prompt, but no evidence of its presence was found during routine surveillance of specimens taken from patients.
The silver/copper ionization system evaluated at the Children's Hospital and the other hospitals has highlighted its relative ease of use as well as its low cost. Not only is the system effective against Legionella but it provides non-toxic by-products that are within the concentration limits prescribed by the EPA. The physicians at these hospitals recommend the use of the silver/copper system, not only for routine control of Legionella but as a preventive measure against unexpected outbreaks of this and other virulent diseases.
In hospitals, plumbing has many dead ends and stagnant areas particularly in hot and warm water storage tanks. In the past, purging disease organisms from these locations has been done by either charging with high concentrations of chlorine or by scalding water flushing. The drawback to chlorine is that it is extremely corrosive to piping and equipment, and only suppresses but does not kill many organisms such as Legionella and provides no residual protection. Scalding-water flushing is labor intensive, extremely time consuming, and does not reach into all the dead-end piping.
The advantages of silver/copper ion systems are easy installation and maintenance, non-toxic byproducts well below EPA standards, and a stable and easily measured disinfectant residual unaffected by higher temperatures (unlike chlorine and ozone which are degraded by higher temperatures).
Silver and copper ions penetrate the biofilms that build up in hospital plumbing so as to attack the Legionella organisms. Furthermore, the silver and copper ions are stable, providing a long-term margin of safety as hospital tests showed no recolonization of Legionella in piping more than two months after an intentional shutdown.
Silver News - April/May 1999
Silver Inhibits Legionnaire's Disease in Hospital Water Systems
By Samuel Etris, Senior Technical Consultant to The Silver Institute
Some 100 hospitals in the US and Canada have now installed silver-copper ionization systems to successfully eradicate Legionella pneumophila, so called Legionnaire's Disease, from their hot water pipes.
Hospital-acquired Legionnaire's disease is a major concern for the nation's care givers and is well documented in hospitals. An analysis of water distribution systems in 15 hospitals in Western Pennsylvania revealed that 60 percent had Legionella contamination; in Quebec, 68 percent of 84 hospitals tested were contaminated, and in tests of 40 hospitals in the United Kingdom, 70 percent showed its presence.
It was following the outbreak at the 1976 American Legion Convention in Philadelphia that Legionella pneumophila was identified as a separate organism. Legionella induces a form of pneumonia so severe that 20 percent of those infected do not survive. Nine major studies of outbreaks of community-acquired disease have identified Legionella as one of three microbial agents that have caused sporadic contagion. At the 4th International Symposium on Legionella in 1992, it was reported that more than 37 different strains of Legionella exist.
Realizing that domestic water distribution systems were linked as a major source of Legionella, Willowbrook, Illinois-based LiquiTech, Inc. supported a study conducted at the University of Arizona's Department of Microbiology and Immunology showing that silver and copper ions effectively control the organism. As a consequence during the past several years, hospitals across the country have installed LiquiTech silver/copper ionization systems for controlling waterborne pathogens, particularly Legionella.
The appearance of ten cases of hospital-acquired Legionella pneumophila at the Pittsburgh Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, despite regular application of the long-used superheated water-and-flush method of sanitation, resulted in an exhaustive study there to test the efficacy of silver/copper ion treatment. The Center installed two of LiquiTech's Electronic Hot Water Purification Systems. Each was installed in one of two of the Veteran's Hospital facilities, which use the same water supply. Before the test, 17 of the 26 water fixtures in the two facilities were positive to Legionella. In a second building, which acted as a control, 11 of the 21 fixtures were positive to Legionella. Following installation of the silver/copper ionization hot water purification systems in the firs building, the presence of Legionella in all fixtures was reduced in three successive months after installation to 38 percent, 19 percent and 0 percent. The presence of Legionella in the untested building during the same period was 28 percent, 86 percent, and 71 percent. After achieving the zero-posihve cultures, the system in the first building was intentionally turned off to allow the water system to recolonize with Legionella. The residual silver and copper ions in the system blocked recolonization for more than three months.
Another study conducted at the Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh was in response to the persistent presence of Legionella in the hot water plumbing system despite regular thermal purging over a two-year period. Following the installation of the company's Electronic Hot Water Purification System in their water circuits, not only was the elimination of the organism from the water supply prompt, but no evidence of its presence was found during routine surveillance of specimens taken from patients.
The silver/copper ionization system evaluated at the Children's Hospital and the other hospitals has highlighted its relative ease of use as well as its low cost. Not only is the system effective against Legionella but it provides non-toxic by-products that are within the concentration limits prescribed by the EPA. The physicians at these hospitals recommend the use of the silver/copper system, not only for routine control of Legionella but as a preventive measure against unexpected outbreaks of this and other virulent diseases.
In hospitals, plumbing has many dead ends and stagnant areas particularly in hot and warm water storage tanks. In the past, purging disease organisms from these locations has been done by either charging with high concentrations of chlorine or by scalding water flushing. The drawback to chlorine is that it is extremely corrosive to piping and equipment, and only suppresses but does not kill many organisms such as Legionella and provides no residual protection. Scalding-water flushing is labor intensive, extremely time consuming, and does not reach into all the dead-end piping.
The advantages of silver/copper ion systems are easy installation and maintenance, non-toxic byproducts well below EPA standards, and a stable and easily measured disinfectant residual unaffected by higher temperatures (unlike chlorine and ozone which are degraded by higher temperatures).
Silver and copper ions penetrate the biofilms that build up in hospital plumbing so as to attack the Legionella organisms. Furthermore, the silver and copper ions are stable, providing a long-term margin of safety as hospital tests showed no recolonization of Legionella in piping more than two months after an intentional shutdown.
Silver News - April/May 1999
Genieye is an innovative company, based in Oakville, Ontario, Canada working in the fields of water purification, magnetic pulsation, energy conservation and hydrogen development.
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Genieye Systems Inc. is an innovative manufacturing company specializing in the fields of Water Purification, Pipe-Less Jet Motor Technology, Magnetic Pulsation and Energy Conservation.