Legionnaires

Legionnaires’ disease is not rare. People just think it’s rare because most of the cases occur one or two at a time, so the public doesn’t hear about them - Matthew R. Freije

Legionnaires
Legionnaires

image by: Tony Klesert

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Is it Safe To Turn Down Your Water Heater Temperature?

Almost every checklist of energy-saving tips includes the recommendation that you turn the temperature of your water heater down from 140°F (60°C) to 120°F(49°C), including on TreeHugger and Planet Green. Yet up in Canada if you look for recommendations, they will tell you not to set your heater below 140F, as it can become a sort of petri dish for Legionnaires Disease...

Legionnaires Disease, or Legeionellosis, is caused by "Legionella pneumophila, a ubiquitous aquatic organism that thrives in warm environments." It was identified after 34 veterans died after attending an American Legion Convention in the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia in 1976. It is temperature sensitive:

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Resources

 Is it Safe To Turn Down Your Water Heater Temperature?

Almost every checklist of energy-saving tips includes the recommendation that you turn the temperature of your water heater down from 140°F (60°C) to 120°F(49°C), including on TreeHugger and Planet Green. Yet up in Canada if you look for recommendations, they will tell you not to set your heater below 140F, as it can become a sort of petri dish for Legionnaires Disease.

Legionella.org

Legionella.org provides educational resources for anyone who has been affected by Legionnaires' disease. A nonprofit organization, we provide comprehensive answers to those who are living with the disease, clinicians, to water treatment professionals and others. Founded by internationally recognized authorities in Legionnaires' disease, Legionella.org advocates a proactive approach to prevention.

European Working Group for Legionella Infections

The European Working Group for Legionella Infections (EWGLI) was formed in 1986. Its membership comprised scientists with an interest in improving knowledge and information on the epidemiological and microbiological (clinical and environmental) aspects of legionnaires' disease. This was achieved through international surveillance of the disease, as well as developments in diagnosis, management and treatment methods.

Legionella Control Association

The Legionella Control Association (LCA) is a voluntary organisation whose membership comprises providers of services and products concerned with the control of legionella bacteria in water systems. The primary aim is to keep water systems safe and minimise the risk of cases of Legionnaires' disease caused by poorly maintained systems.

Legionella.com

GTS Legionella Testing Laboratory (GTS) has provided quantitative legionella test reports for thousands of environmental water samples since 1981. Get legionella water test results you need, quickly and professionally from our laboratory located in Baltimore, Maryland USA.

Legionnaires' Disease News

Helpful information about a growing U.S. problem.

Legionnaires' disease outbreak investigation toolbox

The main objective of this site is to provide a series of practical tools that Member States, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway and ECDC can use to facilitate a co-ordinated investigation and response to clusters and outbreaks of Legionnaires' Disease with an EU dimension.

CDC

Legionnaires’ (LEE-juh-nares) disease is a serious type of pneumonia (lung infection) caused by Legionella (LEE-juh-nell-a) bacteria. Legionella can also cause a milder illness called Pontiac fever. People can get sick when they breathe in mist or accidently swallow water into the lungs containing Legionella. Most people exposed to Legionella do not get sick. However, people 50 years or older, current or former smokers, and people with a weakened immune system or chronic disease are at increased risk. Because high water temperatures make it hard to maintain the disinfectant levels needed to kill germs like Legionella, making sure that the hot tub has the right disinfectant and pH levels is essential.

FP Notebook

Extensive reference.

MayoClinic

You can't catch Legionnaires' disease from person-to-person contact. Instead, most people get Legionnaires' disease from inhaling the bacteria. Older adults, smokers and people with weakened immune systems are particularly susceptible to Legionnaires' disease. The legionella bacterium also causes Pontiac fever, a milder illness resembling the flu. Separately or together, the two illnesses are sometimes called legionellosis. Pontiac fever usually clears on its own, but untreated Legionnaires' disease can be fatal. Although prompt treatment with antibiotics usually cures Legionnaires' disease, some people continue to experience problems after treatment.

MedlinePlus

Legionnaires' disease is a type of pneumonia caused by bacteria. You usually get it by breathing in mist from water that contains the bacteria. The mist may come from hot tubs, showers, or air-conditioning units for large buildings. The bacteria don't spread from person to person. Symptoms of Legionnaires' disease include high fever, chills, a cough, and sometimes muscle aches and headaches. Other types of pneumonia have similar symptoms. You will probably need a chest x-ray to diagnose the pneumonia. Lab tests can detect the specific bacteria that cause Legionnaires' disease.

Patient

Legionnaires' disease (LD) is a severe, potentially fatal acute pneumonia acquired by droplet inhalation of water contaminated by bacteria of the genus Legionella. It was named in 1976 following a serious outbreak of pulmonary infection at a convention of the American Legion in Philadelphia, when 29 out of 182 affected individuals died.

WHO

The bacterium L. pneumophila was first identified in 1977, as the cause of an outbreak of severe pneumonia in a convention centre in the USA in 1976. It has since been associated with outbreaks linked to poorly maintained artificial water systems, particularly cooling towers or evaporative condensers associated with air conditioning and industrial cooling, hot and cold water systems in public and private buildings, and whirlpool spas.

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