High level of recovery of fungi from water and dialysate in haemodialysis units

The counts of yeasts and filamentous fungi were investigated in the municip al water supplies of haemodialysis centres, in the treated water and the di alysate from all 85 haemodialysis units in Greece, in order to estimate the ir occurrence, their correlation with contamination indicator bacteria and other influencing factors. Filamentous fungi and yeasts were isolated from 69 (81.2%) and from three (3.5%) feed it;ater samples, from 74 (87.1%) and seven (8.2%) treated water samples and from 66 (77.7%) and 11 (12.9%) dialy sate samples respectively Aspergillus spp and Penicillium spp were the most frequent moulds, while Candida spp were the prevailing yeasts. The occurre nce of yeasts was significantly higher in dialysate than in tap water sampl es. Counts of filamentous fungi in all 255 samples were significantly corre lated with the counts of total heterotrophic bacteria and enterococci, wher eas the counts of yeasts were correlated with faecal coliforms, total heter otrophic bacteria, as well as enterococci, Pseudomonas spp and total colifo rms, while no correlation was detected with the age of either heamodialysis units, the age of water treatment system, the number of artificial kidney machines or the components of the water purification sq stem. High recovery of fungi from haemodialysis aqueous environments implies a potential risk for haemodialysis patients and indicates the need for continuous maintenanc e and monitoring. (C) 2000 The Hospital Infection Society.