Legionella Background
Experiences of the First 16 Hospitals Using Copper-Silver Ionization for Legionella Control
LEGIONELLA
The dangers of Legionnaires Disease and its causative agent Legionella pneumophila lay not only in the bacteria itself, but also in the a lack of awareness, education and prevention of this very prevalent threat. It is difficult to fight that which is not seen or is not even known to exist.
In 1976 at an American Legion convention in Philadelphia, a mysterious outbreak struck 182 people causing 29 deaths. This tragic event lead to the discovery of a bacterium subsequently named Legionella pneumophila, an ageless marauder escaping detection until this point.
Legionellae are ubiquitous bacteria found in warm moist environments. The bacteria can be found in virtually every body of water around the world. Water distribution systems provide optimal breeding conditions for these bacteria. Several factors promote the survival and proliferation of Legionella. The warm temperatures and nutrients (such as sediments and biofilms) in facilities water distribution systems allow Legionella to thrive. This dangerous buildup of colony forming units (CFU) of Legionella translates into cases of Legionnaire’s Disease.
Legionnaire’s Disease is an infection of the lungs that is contracted by breathing in water droplets containing the bacteria. The disease has an incubation period of 2 to 10 days. Symptoms may include fatigue, cough, fever, headaches, shortness of breath and muscle aches, which may progress into pneumonia. Other complications include hypotension, delirium, heart failure, arrhythmias, acute respiratory failure, renal failure and shock (usually fatal).
The bacterium has been and continues to be commonly misdiagnosed as pneumonia, hiding the prevalence of the problem. Cases of Legionnaire’s Disease have been increasingly reported in hospitals, hotels, schools, nursing homes, and workplaces due to increasing awareness and surveillance. Although this bacterium has been around for centuries, it is only beginning to be recognized.
