Mycobacteria in public water supplies: comparative resistance to chlorine
Pelletier, P.A.; du Moulin, G.C.; Stottmeier, K.D.
Microbiological Sciences 5(5): 147-148
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0265-1351 PMID: 3274950 Document Number: 319650
The isolation of mycobacteria from municipal and hospital water supplies prompted an investigation of the susceptibility of environmental and clinical isolates of mycobacteria other than Mycobacterium tuberculosis and M. bovis to free chlorine. Experiments revealed that free chlorine concn of 1.0 mg/litre eliminated 100 000 cfu of the mycobacterial strs tested within 8 h of exposure, whereas a concn of 0.15 mg had virtually no bacteriocidal effect. Free chlorine residual levels of 0.1 mg or less, depending on the water temp., within Boston, suggest that current disinfection procedures may not be adequate for effective control of potentially pathogenic mycobacteria in public water supply systems serving a population with increased risk factors.