Legionella

The first group illness was reported in 1976 in Pennsylvania, during a convention of veterans of one of the American Legions of World War II who lived in one hotel. 34 people died of acute pneumonia.
Legionellosis occurs in two clinical varieties: a relatively mild flu-like course and a rapidly progressing pneumonia with neurological disorders. Legionnaires' disease is a type of pneumonia caused by exposure to the Legionella Pneumophila bacteria. The bacterial infection may take the form of acute Legionellosis or the slightly milder Pontiac fever. The disease has similar symptoms to pneumonia or flu, which is why it was not properly diagnosed for a long time.

Symptoms of Legionellosis:

• fever, chills, fatigue
• headache
• trouble breathing
• stomach problems
• muscle pain

Antibiotics are used to treat Legionellosis. Treatment time is approximately 2 weeks.

Symptoms of Pontiac fever:

• resemble the flu: headache, fever, chills, feeling of being exhausted
• vomiting, diarrhea and nausea occur less frequently

Most often, the symptoms disappear spontaneously after 2-5 days.

The main pathogenic species for humans is Legionella pneumophila. These bacteria have the ability to penetrate and multiply in cells. They inhabit both hot and cold water supply systems, as well as bathing devices and air conditioners.

Therefore, places of increased risk are all types of showers, showers, hot tubs, jacuzzis and cooling towers. In particular, they inhabit water facilities containing sediment and rust.

Infection occurs through the respiratory tract. It occurs as a result of inhalation of an aerosol or aspiration of contaminated water. Particularly dangerous are situations that favor the formation of fine-particle water dust, e.g. from fountains, showers or air conditioning. Therefore, the quality of hot water should be subject to systematic monitoring to ensure the health safety of its users.

The microbiological requirements that hot water should meet and the procedures for dealing with the presence of Legionella bacteria in it in numbers exceeding the permissible criteria are included in the Regulation of the Minister of Health of December 7, 2017 on the quality of water intended for human consumption.

People with a dysfunctional immune system and comorbidities, patients in intensive care units, people after chemotherapy and transplants, the elderly, people with heart disease, diabetes or weakened immunity are particularly at risk.

Diseases caused by Legionella bacteria are dangerous and are on the list of mandatory registered infectious diseases.

There was no human-to-human transmission. Drinking water contaminated with these bacteria does not lead to infection.

Water testing for Legionella takes approximately 10 days. The determination is made by membrane filtration.