Biological risk of Legionella pneumophila in irrigation systems
Riesgo biológico por Legionella pneumophila en sistemas de riego
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15446/rsap.v22n4.96429Keywords:
Legionellosis, golf, Legionella pneumophila (en)Legionelosis, golf, Legionella pneumophila, calidad del agua (es)
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Objective The goal of this study is to determine the risk of exposure to Legionella pneumophila in hotel golf courses located in the province of Malaga (Spain).
Method Spray irrigation systems were analyzed as sources for spreading the Legionella bacterium. Spanish legislation requires that irrigation systems be monitored for their water quality as well as for reasons related to health and hygiene. Based on an observational study and non-parametric tests (Goodman-Kruskal Tau and uncertainty coefficient), this study states the regulatory enforcement among the systems and contributed to announce Legionella prevention. The quality criteria for recycled water, waste water treatment plant and well water were analyzed in relationship to the hotels’ categories.
Results Deficiencies were found in the preventive maintenance of irrigation systems, but no relationship exists between the type of water and the risk detected.
Conclusions The study suggests that aerosolized water used in golf course watering systems could pose risk to the population by exposing them to Legionella.
Objetivo El propósito de este trabajo es determinar el riesgo de exposición a Legionella pneumophila en campos de golf de hoteles ubicados en la provincia de Málaga (España).
Método Se realizó un estudio de los sistemas de riego por aspersión como fuentes de dispersión de la bacteria Legionella. El análisis de las condiciones higiénico-sanitarias de las instalaciones y la calidad del agua es una actividad de obligado cumplimiento contemplada en la legislación sanitaria española. Mediante un estudio observacional y el empleo de pruebas no paramétricas (Tau de Goodman-Kruskal y coeficiente de incertidumbre) se expresó el cumplimiento de la reglamentación en los sistemas estudiados y la prevención de Legionella. Los criterios de calidad para el agua reciclada, procedente de la estación depuradora de agua residual y de pozo, fueron analizados en relación con la categoría de los hoteles.
Resultados Se encontraron deficiencias en el mantenimiento preventivo de los sistemas de riego, pero no hubo relación entre el tipo de agua y el riesgo identificado.
Conclusiones El estudio sugiere que el agua aerosolizada proveniente de los sistemas de riego de los campos de golf presenta un riesgo de infección por Legionella para la población expuesta.
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