From the Dartmouth Health Department: Frequently Asked Questions about Legionella How did the Legionella bacteria get in the Police Station water? We do not know exactly how it happened. We do know that Legionella bacteria are widely present at low levels in the environment: in lakes, streams, and ponds. At low levels the chance of getting Legionnaires disease from a water source is very slight. The problem arises when high concentrations of the organism grow in water sources. Water heaters, cooling towers, and warm, stagnant water can provide ideal conditions for the growth of the organism. Is Legionella bacteria a concern to the entire Town water supply? No, This situation is not attributed to the Town water supply. Legionella bacteria is found commonly in the environment in low levels but sometimes flourishes in contained hot water systems in buildings and can be contracted from many sources including whirlpool spas, showers and centralized air conditioning systems as well as humidifiers. What levels are in the water system? Low, moderate and high levels of legionella were found in 7 of 8 water samples taken at the Police Station facility. How quickly did the Police Dept. identify this problem after they heard about the affected employee? Immediately after the department was informed by the Board of Health that an employee had confirmed Legionnaires’ disease, the administration engaged OccuHealth, an industrial hygiene company, to take water samples. It is unknown where the employee contracted the disease. The water samples were then sent to the appropriate lab where culturing and growing the bacteria took some time. As soon as the department received a verbal report from OccuHealth that some samples were positive, administration developed an action and communication plan, including a memo to all employees and staff. How soon will we do something to get rid of the bacteria in the water? The sanitation process has been completed in the past 3 days and follow up samples have been taken. The heating boilers and hot water delivery system were assessed and the most efficient and safe way to conduct the process has been completed. How is the department getting rid of the bacteria? Boilers were turned up so that the water temperature reaches 160 degrees. Then we need to run the very hot water through all of the pipes. Finally, we need to let the very hot water out of every faucet and fixture at every location. A number of people assisted in this process and the building was shut down to facilitate this work. How will we know that the sanitation process will eliminate the bacteria from the Police Station water system? We will take additional samples and have them tested after the sanitation process is complete. Could the bacteria grow back in the water system? It could, but we will take water samples again at regularly determined intervals for testing and will test regularly to be able to identify any growth as early as possible. How common is it for buildings to grow Legionella bacteria in the water system? We are told that it is not uncommon, and particularly in older buildings with numerous additions and retrofits. Does Dartmouth routinely test for legionella in the water system? It is not common for buildings to routinely test for legionella in the water system. Dartmouth Police Department will, however, test annually going forward. How does a person get Legionnaires’ disease? A person develops Legionnaires disease by inhaling water mist contaminated with Legionella. A person cannot catch it from another person or from drinking water unless the person aspirates the water. What are the symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease? Early symptoms of the illness are much like the flu. After a short time (in some cases a day or two), more severe pneumonia-like symptoms may appear. Not all individuals with Legionnaires disease experience the same symptoms. Early flu-like symptoms: slight fever headache aching joints and muscles lack of energy, tired feeling loss of appetite Common pneumonia-like symptoms: high fever (102° to 105°F, or 39° to 41°C) cough (dry at first, later producing phlegm) difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath chills chest pains How common is Legionnaires disease? It is estimated that in the United States there are between 10,000 and 50,000 cases each year. How soon after being exposed will a person develop symptoms of the disease? If infection occurs, disease symptoms usually appear within 2 to 10 days. Is Legionnaires disease spread from person to person? No. Legionnaires disease is not contagious and cannot be transmitted from one person to another. Does everyone who inhales Legionella into the lungs develop Legionnaires disease? No. Most people have resistance to the disease. It is thought that fewer than 5 out of 100 persons exposed to water contaminated with Legionella will develop Legionnaires disease. What happened to the employee who contracted Legionnaires’? The officer is back at work after suffering the consequences of Legionnaire’s disease for nearly a month.
Posted on: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 17:28:59 +0000
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