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Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán

2006, Number 5

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Rev Invest Clin 2006; 58 (5)

Chlorination and bacterial contamination. Hospitals with troubled waters

Macías AE, Monroy R, Muñoz JM, Medina H, Ponce LS

Language: Spanish
References: 12
Page: 470-474
PDF size: 54.78 Kb.


ABSTRACT

Objective. To know the quality of the water from hospitals and the risks that poor chlorination implies. Methods. We analyzed 90 water specimens from 15 hospitals (9 from the private and 6 from the public sector). Specimens were obtained from three areas (hospitalization ward, operating room, and kitchen) in two visits. Results. By microbiologic analysis, we found 30 (33.3 %) contaminated specimens. By chemical analysis, we found only 49 (54.5 %) specimens with adequate chlorination (≥ 1 mg/L). Of the 30 contaminated specimens, only 7 (23.3%) had adequate chlorination. On the other hand, of the 60 specimens without contamination, 42 (79%) had adequate chlorination (χ2 = 17.561, p ‹ 0.001). The significant difference was sustained when the criterion for appropriate chlorination was established at ≥ 0.5 mg/L. Conclusions. Hospitals require guidelines for water chlorination and testing to maintain it at ≥ 0.5 mg/L in every point of use.


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