Dental units as infection sources ofPseudomonas aeruginosa

To the Editors: In a recent issue of the European Respiratory Journal , we read with interest the article by Schelstraete et al. 1 about Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the home environment of newly infected patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Based on the study results, Schelstraete et al. 1 suggest that neither home environment nor other patients are important sources of P. aeruginosa infection; therefore, the question remains as to the actual source of an initial infection. They conclude that acquisition from the environment outside the home is probable. One possible source could be aerosol exposition of contaminated water during dental treatment. Transmission of microbial pathogens to patients from water in dental chair units (DCUs) has been a concern for many years. In the early 1980s, a German study revealed …