So SMALL but so DEADLY

Receive your FREE guide on how to interpret your legionella lab results
FACTS ABOUT LEGIONNAIRES’ DISEASE
About 1 out of every 10 people who get sick with legionnaires’ disease will die due to complications.
For those who get legionnaires’ disease during a stay in a health care facility, about 1 out of every 4 will die.
Legionella is a type of bacterium found naturally in freshwater environments, like lakes and streams. It can become a health concern when it grows and spreads in human-made building water systems like showerheads and sink faucets, cooling towers (structures that contain water and a fan as part of centralized air cooling systems for building or industrial processes), hot tubs that aren’t drained after each use, decorative fountains and water features, hot water tanks and heaters as well as large plumbing systems. Home and car air-conditioning units do not use water to cool the air, so they are not a risk for Legionella growth.
Center for Disease and Control Prevention, Legionella (Legionnaires’ Disease and Pontiac Fever), 2018.
3 QUICK FACTS

Reasons why most buildings are prone to waterborne pathogens and Legionella growth:

Past history of
Legionella in the system

Water treatment
inefficiency

The natural presence of waterborne
pathogens in makeup water

Did you know that Legionella causes more than 25,000 hospitalizations and nearly 4,000 deaths annually in North America among the most vulnerable members of our society? Health authorities consider this problem to be an important public health issue. According to the regulations in place in many industrialized countries, cooling tower owners are required to test for the presence of these bacteria and to take action according to the concentrations obtained; this can even lead to the closure of the equipment, the building evacuation and the closing of commercial or industrial operations. In unregulated markets, industry standards strongly recommend such testing as part of the “Standard of Care”, the step that usually precedes regulation.
WHERE DO LEGIONELLA BACTERIA COME FROM?
Legionella pneumophila can be found outside in soil, rivers, ponds, and lakes, but rarely cause an infection. The danger is mainly spread in the air through the building cooling tower plume that would contain Legionella. It can also be spread through decorative fountains, pools, hot tubs, whirlpools, hot water plumbing systems, hot water tanks, showers, faucets, emergency eyewash stations, etc. Most outbreaks are linked to large buildings where the bacteria can easily grow and multiply. Your home water tank is usually not a danger because you should 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, and it can be all around you. The closer you are to the contaminated plume, the more likely you are to be hit.
WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF LEGIONELLA BACTERIA?
LEGIONNAIRES’ DISEASE SYMPTOMS DEVELOP 2 TO 14 DAYS AFTER LEGIONELLA EXPOSURE
  • Headache
  • Muscle aches
  • Fever
  • Cough, which can bring up mucus
    and sometimes blood
  • Chest pain
  • Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
  • Chest pain
  • Mental confusion
  • Infection of the lungs
  • Can cause infections in wounds and to the heart
PONTIAC FEVER SYMPTOMS
IS A MILD FORM OF LEGIONNAIRES’ DISEASE SYMPTOMS
  • Headache
  • Muscle aches
  • Fever
  • Chills
  • DOES NOT affect the lungs
  • Symptoms clear typically within two to five days

When to consult a doctor?

Both disease symptoms resemble those of a pneumonia infection and look the same on an X-ray. Do not hesitate to consult medical help if you think you’ve been exposed to Legionella, and inform your doctor. The sooner the diagnosis and treatment for legionnaires’ disease are confirmed, the sooner will be the recovery period while preventing life-threatening complications such as respiratory failure, septic shock, acute kidney failure and multi-organ failure.

Most people that recover from the disease will suffer long-term side effects. The most common are fatigue and lack of energy. Other side effects may include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), memory loss, and difficulty concentrating.

People who are most likely contract Legionnaires' Disease

  • People 50 years or older.

  • Current or former smokers.

  • People with chronic lung disease (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or emphysema).

  • People with weak immune systems or who take drugs that weaken the immune system (like after a transplant operation or chemotherapy).

  • People with cancer.

  • People with underlying illnesses such as diabetes, kidney or liver failure.

  • People that contracted Covid-19.

How to Prevent Outbreaks from Happening


9 in 10


CDC investigations show almost all outbreaks were
caused by problems preventable with more effective water management.
Your building needs a water management program to minimize the risk of Legionella spreading in your building’s water systems and appliances. This water management program should identify areas or devices in your facility where Legionella could develop or circulate so you can minimize the risk of contamination. Legionella Water Management Programs are now an industry standard for large US buildings equipped with water cooling systems.

Outbreaks that made the news headline!

  • Number of cases to be confirmed at the Mount Hospital in Perth Australia – October 2022
  • 35 cases and 1 death from a skating rink in Orillia Ontario Canada – October 2022
  • 35 patients and 1 death at the Simcoe Muskoka Health Unit in Ontario Canada – October 2022
  • 2 cases in Hong Kong – October 2022
  • 5 cases and 2 deaths at a Senior’s Home in Manhattan New York – September 2022
  • 5 cases and 1 death in Franklin and Grand Isle Counties in Vermont – September 2022
  • 11 cases and 1 death in Tucuman city Argentina – September 2022
  • 3 cases and 1 death in Montreal – August 2022
  • 7 cases at a Senior’s Home in Montreal – August 2022
  • 13 cases and 1 death in Napa County, California – July 2022
  • Possibly 2 to 3 guest at an Hotel in Wake County, North Carolina – June 2022
  • 30 cases and 2 deaths in Highbridge, The Bronx, New York – June 2022
  • 6 cases in Sydney CBD, Australia – May 2022
  • 5 cases at a Resort in Waikiki, Hawaii – May 2022
  • 4 cases in Camden and Narellan, Sydney, Australia – April 2022
  • 20 cases and 2 deaths in Palm Springs and Palm Desert, California – March 2022
  • 4 cases in Missouri – May 2021 – January 2022
  • 2 cases and 1 death in Antwerp, Belgium – December 2021
  • 7 cases and 1 death at an Indiana correctional facility – December 2021
  • 6 cases in Western Quebec – December 2021
  • 26 cases in Spain – November 2021
  • 10 cases and 1 death in the Netherlands – November 2021
  • 3 cases at a Hotel in Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey – July-October 2021
  • 6 cases in Beaverton, Oregon – October 2021
  • 10 cases and 1 death in Long Island, New York – October 2021
  • 2 cases at a prison in Somers, Connecticut – October 2021
  • 2 cases and 1 death among restaurant patrons in Massachusetts – October 2021
  • 18 cases in Harlem, New York – August 2021
  • 7 cases and 1 death in New Brunswick, Canada – August 2021
  • 84 cases among adults attending a sports camp in North Carolina – August 2021
  • 2 cases in Melbourne, Australia – August 2021
  • 4 cases in Maine – August 2021
  • 2 cases on a cruise ship – July-August 2021
  • 10 cases and 2 deaths in Montreal – June-August 2021
  • 8 cases in New Jersey – July 2021
  • 30 cases in Rhode Island – June-July 2021
  • 49 cases and 2 deaths in the city of Chicago – July 2021
  • 107 cases in Michigan – July 2021
  • 7 cases and 2 deaths in Germany – July 2021
  • 2 cases at a hotel in Minnesota – July 2021
  • 2 cases at a senior living center in Oregon – June 2021
  • 2 cases among hotel guests in Missouri – April 2021
  • Sports and fitness facility in Indianapolis – April 2021
  • 14 cases in Union County, New Jersey – February 2021
  • 17 cases in New South Wales, Australia – January 2021
  • Major Outbreak in Northern Portugal – October 2020 to January 2021
  • 9 cases at a senior home in Portland, OR – January 2021
  • 5 cases in New Zealand from Potting Soil – November 2020
  • Hurstville, New South Wales, Australia – November 2020
  • 8 cases in Southern Israel – November 2020
  • Prison in Pontiac, Illinois – October 2020
  • Senior Citizens Center in Illinois – October 2020
  • 8 cases in Montreal – September 2020
  • West Bromwich, England – September 2020
  • Illinois Prison – September 2020
  • 4 community cases in Illinois – September 2020
  • 6 cases in New Westminster, BC, Canada – September 2020
  • 4 cases, 2 deaths, Hamilton Township, New Jersey – August 2020
  • 3 cases from Potting Soil, New South Wales, Australia – May 2020
  • 4 cases in Brunswick, Australia – March 2020
  • 2 cases in Columbus, OH – February 2020
  • 11 cases in Hong Kong – February 2020
  • 3 cases in Redhill, England – February 2020
  • 5 cases among Senior Living Residents in Lake County, IL – February 2020
  • Major Outbreak at a Prison in Sumterville, FL – January 2020
  • 2 cases among Nursing Home Residents in Plainfield, IL – January 2020
  • 3 cases in a Retirement Community in Carol Stream, IL – January 2020
  • 2 cases among Nursing Home Residents in Chicago, IL – January 2020
  • 3 patients at a Hospital in Winfield, IL – January 2020
  • 4 cases in Barrie, Ontario – December 2019
  • 3 cases in Melaque, Mexico – December 2019
  • 22 cases in the Bas-Rhin Prefecture, France – November-December 2019
  • 13 cases in Elmira, NY – November 2019
  • 2 cases in Hot Springs, AR – November 2019
  • 9 cases in Orillia, Ontario – October 2019
  • 2 cases among apartment residents in Salem, MA – October 2019
  • 2 cases in Jefferson Parish, LA – October 2019
  • 3 cases near Columbus, OH – October 2019
  • 8 patients at Pennsylvania NICU – October 2019