The Faucet Aerator — A Source of Pseudomonas Infection

Abstract

VIGILANCE is required in preventing surgical wound infection due to organisms of the genus pseudomonas. Keown et al.¹ reported 5 cases of pseudomonas septicemia that followed open-heart surgery and were attributed to "sterilization" of their oxygenator in contaminated benzalkonium. Pseudomonas bacteremia after cardiac catheterization was traced by Shickman and his associates² to contaminated catheters. After the death of an infant with pseudomonas infection, Wilson and her co-workers³ cultured this organism from the nursery scrub sink and traced its source to the faucet aerator. This source of pseudomonas infection was confirmed by Kresky⁴ and is now mentioned in a standard textbook . . .