Microbial contamination of ‘sterile water’ used in Japanese hospitals

Intestinal obstruction associated with chronic peritonitis caused by Sphingomonas paucimobilis

“…Hsueh et al reported the case of a patient with biliary tract infection where two identical biotypes of S. paucimobilis were isolated, respectively, from blood and bile, suggesting the invasiveness of this bacteria [3]. Furthermore, in international literature, other articles describe S. paucimobilis as one of the major contaminants of hospital water supplies [4,23,24] and hospital nebulization solutions [25], and how it can contaminate water in dental unit reservoirs [26], ventilator temperature probes [27], and conservation and transport mediums of corneal grafts [28]. Perola et al described two separate episodes of bacteremia caused by S. paucimobilis that were epidemiologically linked to the hospital water system [6].…”

Evaluation of Tap Water for Surgical Handwashing

“…10 Similarly, Oie et al reported that a low free chlorine value may be the main reason for the contamination of sterile water in Japanese hospitals. 3 The Water Works Law and Enforcement Regulation of Japan, which came into effect in 1957, states that tap water should contain 0.1 mg/l or more free chlorine in the faucet. Therefore, we regarded this concentration as a borderline level.…”

“…Although the boiler reduces the bacterial content of the water, bacterial contamination may occur if heated tap water is stored. Oie et al 3 suggested that filtration systems reduce the levels of free chlorine in water. However, we found that the free chlorine levels did not depend on whether water was sterilized, but rather on whether the water was heated.…”

DNA Fingerprinting of Ralstonia paucula by Infrequent-Restriction-Site PCR and Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA Analysis

“…nov., formerly CDC group IV c-2, was assigned to the genus Ralstonia in 1999 (7,12). Isolated from pool water, groundwater, bottled mineral water (2,4,9), and many clinical specimens, R. paucula, despite its low pathogenicity, is now recognized as an opportunist pathogen that can generate serious infections, such as septicemia, peritonitis, abscesses, etc., especially in immunocompromised patients (1,8,10). Furthermore, though less often isolated than Ralstonia pickettii, R. paucula can cause clusters of nosocomial infections (8).…”