Fulford M R, Walker J T, Martin M V, Marsh P D
GDP, 10 B Lower Downside, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, BA4 4JX.
Br Dent J. 2004 Feb 14;196(3):157-9; discussion 153. doi: 10.1038/sj.bdj.4810943.
To determine if either ATP or endotoxin concentrations in water supplied by dental unit water systems (DUWS) correlated with total viable counts (TVC), and therefore could be used as a rapid, chairside measure of levels of microbial contamination.
A prospective trial.
Fifty-seven water samples were taken from the 'triple spray', air rotor and source water supplies from 25 dental units in eight practices. The samples were assayed for endotoxin concentration, total ATP and TVC. A pilot study was performed to assess the relationship between TVC and total cell counts, as determined by flow cytometry.
ATP concentrations ranged from 22 to 958 relative light units (RLU) and free endotoxin ranged from 25 to 600 EU ml(-1). TVC varied from not detected to 2.16 x 10(4) CFU ml(-1). The ATP method proved to be a simple and rapid method that could be used at the chairside. However, there was no correlation between ATP or endotoxin concentrations and TVC in DUWS. TVC generally underestimated the total cell count by 50 to 500 fold.
Half of the water samples from DUWS exceeded recommended levels of TVC. However, ATP and endotoxin concentrations in DUWS water samples did not correlate with these TVC data and therefore could not be recommended as an alternative assay to TVC for measuring bacterial contamination or for monitoring water treatment efficacy.
确定牙科设备水系统（DUWS）供应水中的ATP或内毒素浓度是否与总活菌数（TVC）相关，从而能否用作一种快速的、在椅旁进行的微生物污染水平测量方法。
一项前瞻性试验。
从8家诊所的25台牙科设备的“三联喷头”、气涡轮机和水源中采集了57份水样。对这些样本进行内毒素浓度、总ATP和TVC检测。进行了一项初步研究，以评估通过流式细胞术测定的TVC与总细胞数之间的关系。
ATP浓度范围为22至958相对光单位（RLU），游离内毒素范围为25至600 EU ml⁻¹。TVC从未检测到至2.16×10⁴ CFU ml⁻¹不等。ATP方法被证明是一种可在椅旁使用的简单快速方法。然而，DUWS中的ATP或内毒素浓度与TVC之间没有相关性。TVC通常将总细胞数低估50至500倍。
DUWS的水样中有一半超过了推荐的TVC水平。然而，DUWS水样中的ATP和内毒素浓度与这些TVC数据不相关，因此不能推荐将其作为测量细菌污染或监测水处理效果的TVC替代检测方法。
