Understanding and managing legionella in your facilities
Legionella poses a major health and economic challenge for industries. Early detection allows you to maintain operational continuity while ensuring regulatory compliance.
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Facts about Legionnaires' disease
Legionnaires' disease is a serious lung infection caused by the bacterium Legionella pneumophila. This bacterium grows naturally in water systems, particularly in industrial cooling towers where conditions are optimal for its proliferation.
10%
people with Legionnaires' disease die from complications.
25%
of people who contracted Legionnaires' disease while staying in a healthcare facility die from it.
From the natural environment to industrial installations: understanding the presence of legionella
Legionella is a type of bacteria found naturally in freshwater environments, such as lakes and streams. It can become a health problem when it grows and spreads in water systems in human-made buildings, such as showerheads and sink faucets, cooling towers (structures containing water and a fan as part of centralized air cooling systems for buildings or industrial processes), hot tubs that are not drained after each use, decorative fountains and water features, hot water tanks and water heaters, and large plumbing systems. Air conditioners in homes and cars do not use water to cool the air and therefore do not pose a risk for developing Legionella.
Center for Disease and Control Prevention, Legionella (Legionnaires' and Pontiac Fever), 2018.
3 quick facts
Reasons why most buildings are exposed to waterborne pathogens and Legionella proliferation:
History of Legionella in the system
Ineffective water treatment
Natural occurrence of waterborne pathogens
Did you know that...
Legionnaires' disease causes more than 25,000 hospitalizations and 4,000 deaths annually in North America, particularly affecting vulnerable populations. Considered a major public health issue, it has prompted authorities to require regular testing of cooling towers to detect the bacteria and take appropriate action, including shutting down facilities. Even in unregulated markets, industry standards recommend these tests to anticipate potential regulations.
Where do legionella come from?
Legionella pneumophila is found outdoors in soil, rivers, ponds, and lakes, but it rarely causes infection. The main hazard is airborne through the plumes of building cooling towers that may contain Legionella. It can also be spread through decorative fountains, swimming pools, hot tubs, hot water plumbing systems, hot water tanks, showers, faucets, emergency eyewash stations, and more. Most outbreaks are linked to large buildings where the bacteria can easily grow and multiply. Your home's water tank is generally not a hazard, as you must keep the water heater thermostat at 60ºC (140ºF) to eliminate the risk of Legionella contamination.
The danger comes from inhaling microscopic water droplets containing the bacteria, which can be all around you. The closer you are to the contaminated plume, the more likely you are to be affected.
What are the effects of legionella?
Symptoms of Legionnaires' disease develop 2 to 14 days after exposure to Legionella
- Headaches
- Muscle pain
- Fever
- Coughing, which can bring up mucus and sometimes blood
- Chest pain
- Confusion mentale
- Lung infection
- Can cause infections and wounds in the heart
Pontiac fever is a mild form of Legionnaires' disease and here are its symptoms:
- Headaches
- Muscle pain
- Fever
- Chills
- Does not affect the lungs
Symptoms usually disappear within two to five days.
When to see a doctor?
Both symptoms of the disease resemble those of pneumonia and appear the same on an X-ray. Don't hesitate to seek medical help if you think you've been exposed to Legionnaires' disease and inform your doctor. The sooner Legionnaires' disease is diagnosed and treated, the faster the recovery period will be, while avoiding life-threatening complications such as respiratory failure, septic shock, acute kidney failure, and multiple organ failure. Most people who recover from the disease will experience long-term side effects. The most common are fatigue and lack of energy. Other side effects can include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), memory loss, and difficulty concentrating.
How to prevent epidemics?
Your building needs a water management program to minimize the risk of Legionella spreading through your building's water systems and fixtures. This water management program should identify areas or fixtures in your facility where Legionella could grow or circulate, so you can minimize the risk of contamination. Legionella water management programs are now an industry standard for large U.S. buildings with cooling water systems.
90%
outbreaks were due to problems that could have been prevented through more efficient water management, according to CDC investigations.
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