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Have you had your water tested?

MAC & Bronchiectasis | Last Active: Jan 15, 2023 | Replies (84)

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@bolso1

@sueinmn Hi Sue, Serratia marcescens does aerosolize. In fact, back in the 1950s the US Military tested it as a bioweapon by spraying it on San Francisco (https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/1950-us-released-bioweapon-san-francisco-180955819/)!!!!
I don't have information on the frequency of Serratia marcescens infection in people, sorry.
Armando

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Replies to "@sueinmn Hi Sue, Serratia marcescens does aerosolize. In fact, back in the 1950s the US Military..."

Oh, Armando, you knew I wouldn't be able to resist. I went looking, and you are right, it does aerosolize. However, the incidence of community-acquired S. marascens is very low. It primarily occurs in hospitals, in people who have an invasive procedure, such as intubation, catherization, etc. Once an outbreak is identified, it is usually traced to a source, such as in the case of a contaminated soap dispenser, coupled with inadequate handwashing by staff.

My daughter, formerly an pediatric OR/ER nurse, said it was a big problem in their population of young people with multiple disabilities, and the primary reason their peds hospital used all disposable supplies, and required extra precautions when intubating or catherizing.

I can find a few references to bronchiectasis and S. marascens including:
https://www.proquest.com/openview/cf74b71df161e9f2d9c193527ad80515/ and https://www.ajol.info/index.php/pamj/article/view/142552
My takeaway is that it is not something we need to be too concerned about.
Sue