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Legionnaires Disease - The condition
known as Legionnaires
disease was named after an outbreak of a severe
pneumonia-like disease that occurred at the Belle Vue
Stratford Hotel, Philadelphia, USA in 1976, where there
was a convention of the American Legion. Legionella
pneumophila, the causative organism for most cases
of Legionnaires' disease, was thought to have been present
in the hotel’s cooling towers. Somehow, water
droplets in the form of an aerosol contaminated the
hotel's air conditioning systems allowing the bacteria
to come into contact with the convention guests, a highly
susceptible population.
What is Legionnaires' disease?
Legionnaires' disease is a type of pneumonia. It was
named after an outbreak of severe pneumonia which affected
a meeting of the American Legion in 1976. It is an uncommon
but serious disease.
The illness occurs more frequently in men than women.
It usually affects middle-aged or elderly people and
it more commonly affects smokers or people with other
chest problems. Legionnaires' disease is uncommon in
younger people and is very uncommon under the age of
20.
How do people get it?
The germ which causes Legionnaires' disease is a bacterium
called Legionella pneumophila. People catch Legionnaires'
disease by inhaling small droplets of water suspended
in the air which contain the Legionella bacterium. However,
most people who are exposed to Legionella do not become
ill.
Legionnaires' disease does
not spread from person to person.
Where does it come from?
The bacterium that causes Legionnaires' disease is
widespread in nature. It mainly lives in water, for
example ponds, where it does not usually cause problems.
Outbreaks occur from purpose-built water systems where
temperatures are warm enough to encourage growth of
the bacteria, e.g. in cooling towers, evaporative condensers
and whirlpool spas (tradename Jaccuzi) and from water
used for domestic purposes in buildings such as hotels.
Most community outbreaks in the UK have been linked
to installations such as cooling towers or evaporative
condensers, which can spread droplets of water over
a wide area. These are found as part of air-conditioning
and industrial cooling systems.
What measures are there to control Legionnaires' disease?
To prevent the occurrence of Legionnaires' disease,
companies that operate these systems must comply with
regulations requiring them to manage, maintain and treat
them properly. Amongst other things, this means that
the water must be treated and the system cleaned regularly.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms of Legionnaires' disease are similar
to the symptoms of the flu:
- high temperature, feverishness and chills;
- cough;
- muscle pains;
- headache; and leading on to
- pneumonia, very occasionally
- diarrhoea and signs of mental confusion.
How is it treated?
The illness is treated with an antibiotic called erythromycin
or a similar antibiotic.
What to do
If you develop the above symptoms and you are worried
that it might be Legionnaires' disease, see your general
practitioner.
Because it is similar to the flu, it is not always
easy to diagnose. A blood or urine test will be helpful
in deciding whether an illness is or is not Legionnaires'
disease. When doctors are aware that the illness is
present in the local community, they have a much better
chance of diagnosing it earlier.
If you suspect that you may have got the illness as
a consequence of your work then you are advised to report
this to your manager, as well as your health and safety
representative and occupational health department, if
you have one. In the UK there is a legal requirement
for employers to report cases of Legionnaires' disease
that may be acquired at their premises to the Health
and Safety Executive.
Additional Information
For further information and expert assistance please
call us on +44 (0) 161 877 0586 or
email info@legionellacontrol.com.
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