Most people become infected when they inhale microscopic water droplets containing legionella bacteria. This might be from the spray from a shower, faucet or whirlpool, or water from the ventilation system in a large building. Outbreaks have been linked to:. Besides by breathing in water droplets, the infection can be transmitted in other ways, including:.
Not everyone exposed to legionella bacteria becomes sick. You're more likely to develop the infection if you:. Legionnaires' disease can be a problem in hospitals and nursing homes, where germs can spread easily and people are vulnerable to infection. Outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease are preventable, but prevention requires water management systems in buildings that ensure that water is monitored and cleaned regularly. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products.
Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Biofilm This slimy buildup eats up disinfectant and provides an ideal environment for Legionella to grow. Scale When minerals from the water collect inside your water system, you get a hard, rock-like buildup known as scale.
Sediment Sediment is a collection of minerals and natural materials. Water pressure changes If water pressure inside your building is affected for any reason, it may dislodge biofilm and introduces its germs into the rest of the water system.
Stagnation Standing water encourages biofilm to grow and soaks up more than its fair share of disinfectant. Construction Vibrations can dislodge biofilm and scale — and the Legionella living in it — into your water. Water main breaks A water main break can cause a sudden change in water pressure, which can knock any biofilm out of its place.
Municipal water supply Changes in the municipal water supply can increase sediment, affect disinfectant levels, and cause undesirable changes to pH. Stopping Legionella before it starts Unfortunately, some of these factors are out of your control. Recent Blog Posts. May 28, March 29, February 9, No treatment is needed for pontiac fever other than paracetamol or ibuprofen for the minor fever and muscle aches. Pontiac Fever is often contracted but goes undiagnosed as the symptoms are so similar to the flu.
Pontiac fever does not develop into pneumonia. Loichgoilhead Fever is also caused by legionella bacteria. Like Pontiac fever, loichgoilhead fever is not usually fatal and will normally abate itself without treatment. Legionella Facts and FAQ 5 — Pneumonia is frequently but not always due to infection that causes inflamation of the lungs.
The infection may be bacterial, viral, fungal or parasitic. Symptoms may include fever, chills, cough with sputum production, chest pain, and shortness of breath. Children and babies who develop pneumonia often do not have any specific signs of a chest infection but develop a fever, appear quite ill, and can become lethargic.
Elderly people may also have few symptoms with pneumonia. Some cases of pneumonia are contracted by breathing in small droplets that contain the organisms that can cause pneumonia.
These droplets get into the air when a person infected with these germs coughs or sneezes. In other cases, pneumonia is caused when bacteria or viruses that are normally present in the mouth, throat, or nose inadvertently enter the lung.
Some types of pneumonia are known as atypical. These include infections caused by certain bacteria, such as Legionella pneumophila, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydophila pneumoniae this is not an STD.
Mycoplasma pneumonia is a common in children and may be associated with non-respiratory problems, such as rashes, anaemia or meningitis. Legionella Facts and FAQ 6 — The illness occurs more frequently in men than women at a ratio of around It is thought that this may be a result of typical occupations, lifestyles and possibly lungs size. However, it usually affects middle-aged or elderly people and individuals with suppressed immune systems. Aerosols containing the bacteria will pose a risk to susceptible individuals.
Infection however, is clearly linked to susceptibility. Highly susceptible individuals may get infected even at relatively low doses. Recent research by Dr. Marc Edwards, a professor of civil engineering at Virginia Tech, has shown that OPPPs, like Legionella, are more likely to grow when water aging problems occur in water pipes leading to the tap.
Edwards, a nationally prominent voice in leading the response to the water crisis in Flint, Mich. There are several key elements that can promote the growth of Legionella bacteria in a water supply system, including:. First, Legionella needs to grow to cause a health risk. Parts of a water system with insufficient circulation or lukewarm temperature can provide the ideal environment for Legionella growth. Once Legionella grows, it needs a way to spread. Any source that generates aerosol or a fine mist of water has the potential to transmit Legionella.
Legionella are bacteria that grow in water; they are not visible to the naked eye. The water droplets that carry Legionella into the lungs are also not visible to the naked eye. Legionella can colonize in water delivery lines and building plumbing systems, contaminating water supplies after the water has been centrally treated at a public water facility. One of the best ways to reduce the risk of Legionella growth and spread is to design, implement and regularly update an overall water safety plan for an entire system, taking into account any potential hazardous conditions for a particular system and including industry best practices for prevention.
The foundation of this plan is an engineering audit of the water system. No evidence-based consensus recommendation exists regarding routine testing for Legionella for preventing Legionellosis. If a team agrees testing should take place, it should determine the frequency of testing, as well as locations and plans for the response to testing results. If a program team chooses to test for Legionella in their water supply systems, ASHRAE does not make recommendations about sampling and test methods, number of test sites, and how often to test.
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