Hospital hydrotherapy pools treated with ultra violet light: bad bacteriological quality and presence of thermophilicNaegleria

Abstract

The microbiological quality of eight halogenated and two u.v.-treated hydrotherapy pools in hospitals was investigated. The microbiological quality of halogenated hydrotherapy pools was comparable to halogenated public swimming pools, although in somePseudomonas aeruginosaand faecal pollution indicators were more frequent due to bad management.On the other hand u.v.-treated hydrotherapy pools had very bad microbiological quality. Apart from faecal pollution indicators,P. aeruginosawas present in very high numbers.Halogenated hydrotherapy pools were not highly contaminated with amoebae, andNaegleriaspp. were never detected. On the other hand u.v.-treated pools contained very high numbers of thermophilicNaegleria. TheNaegleriaisolates were identified asN. lovaniensis, a species commonly found in association withN. fowleri.Isoenzyme analysis showed a different type ofN. lovaniensiswas present in each of two u.v.-treated pools.