Back to Basics: Waterborne Pathogens in Healthcare

Waterborne infections remain an important but often overlooked risk in healthcare, particularly for vulnerable patients.

Understanding the ecology and transmission of opportunistic waterborne pathogens is essential to preventing healthcare-associated infection, yet these fundamentals are frequently poorly understood.

Alongside well-recognised risks from Legionella—which continues to increase globally—other pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and related biofilm-associated bacteria can persist in water, on surfaces and within biofilms. These risks are particularly evident at the periphery of building water systems, around taps, sinks, drains and associated pipework, where patients and water come into close contact.

What will the webinar cover?

In this webinar, Dr Susanne Surman-Lee will take a back-to-basics approach to waterborne pathogens in healthcare, focusing on who these organisms are, how they survive within water systems, how they are transmitted, and how patients become exposed.

The session will also explore why some waterborne bacteria are difficult to control, how antimicrobial resistance can emerge and persist in these environments, and the implications for patient safety.

Who is it for?

This webinar is aimed at infection prevention and control and public health professionals, water treatment providers, estates and facilities teams and healthcare designers seeking a clearer understanding of waterborne infection risks.