Legionnaire"s Disease
Legionnaires' disease is a pneumonia type disease caused by the Gram-ve bacteria Legionella pneumophila.
The ailment acquired its name in July 1976 when an outbreak of pneumonia occurred amongst a number of individuals attending a conference of the American Legion.
The causative agent was later on identified as a previously unidentified bacterium, that was subsequently called Legionella.
Cases of Legionnaires Diseaseobtain considerable media attention as the disease commonly happens as isolated cases not associate with any recognised pattern.
The death rate of Legionnaires' disease varies and has ranged from 5% to 30% throughout prior outbreaks and most microbe infections come about in those who are middle-age or older.
Men are statistically a lot more susceptible than females and individuals with diminished immune response such as diabetics, oncology sufferers and people who smoke are also at higher chance of contracting the disorder.
Sufferers with Legionnaires' disease usually have fever, chills, and a cough, which is generally dry and non-productive.
Patients may also complain of muscle aches, headache, tiredness, reduction of appetite, loss of coordination, and sometimes diarrhea and vomiting.
Upper body X-rays should normally show pneumonia with bi-basal consolidation.
It is difficult to distinguish Legionnaires' disease from other types of pneumonia by symptoms or x-ray findings alone and other tests are required for a supported diagnosis.
Legionellosis infection generally happens after inhaling an aerosol (a suspension of fine water particles in the air) containing Legionella bacteria.
Such particles could originate from any contaminated water source.
When mechanical action breaks the surface of the water, little water droplets are formed, which evaporate very quickly.
If these droplets contain micro organisms, the bacteria cells continue to be suspended in the air, invisible to the bare eye and small enough to be inhaled into the lungs.
Potential sources of this kind of contaminated water include cooling towers used in commercial cooling water systems as well as in large central air conditioning systems, evaporative coolers, hot water systems, showers, windshield washers, whirlpool spas, architectural water features, room-air humidifiers, ice making machines, misting equipment and similar equipment.
The disease may also be transmitted from contaminated aerosols produced in hot tubs if the disinfection and maintenance plan is not performed rigorously.
The sickness is especially connected with hotels, water features, cruise ships and hospitals with old, poorly maintained pipework and cooling systems.
In order to avert the spread of Legionella micro organisms it is important to carry out a Legionella risk assessment.
This will assess the probability of a water system to harbour the micro organism and also describe how to minimise the release of the micro organism in aerosols from the system.
By doing a Legionella risk assessment a Legionella control plan can be carried out to avert the spread of the illness.
The ailment acquired its name in July 1976 when an outbreak of pneumonia occurred amongst a number of individuals attending a conference of the American Legion.
The causative agent was later on identified as a previously unidentified bacterium, that was subsequently called Legionella.
Cases of Legionnaires Diseaseobtain considerable media attention as the disease commonly happens as isolated cases not associate with any recognised pattern.
The death rate of Legionnaires' disease varies and has ranged from 5% to 30% throughout prior outbreaks and most microbe infections come about in those who are middle-age or older.
Men are statistically a lot more susceptible than females and individuals with diminished immune response such as diabetics, oncology sufferers and people who smoke are also at higher chance of contracting the disorder.
Sufferers with Legionnaires' disease usually have fever, chills, and a cough, which is generally dry and non-productive.
Patients may also complain of muscle aches, headache, tiredness, reduction of appetite, loss of coordination, and sometimes diarrhea and vomiting.
Upper body X-rays should normally show pneumonia with bi-basal consolidation.
It is difficult to distinguish Legionnaires' disease from other types of pneumonia by symptoms or x-ray findings alone and other tests are required for a supported diagnosis.
Legionellosis infection generally happens after inhaling an aerosol (a suspension of fine water particles in the air) containing Legionella bacteria.
Such particles could originate from any contaminated water source.
When mechanical action breaks the surface of the water, little water droplets are formed, which evaporate very quickly.
If these droplets contain micro organisms, the bacteria cells continue to be suspended in the air, invisible to the bare eye and small enough to be inhaled into the lungs.
Potential sources of this kind of contaminated water include cooling towers used in commercial cooling water systems as well as in large central air conditioning systems, evaporative coolers, hot water systems, showers, windshield washers, whirlpool spas, architectural water features, room-air humidifiers, ice making machines, misting equipment and similar equipment.
The disease may also be transmitted from contaminated aerosols produced in hot tubs if the disinfection and maintenance plan is not performed rigorously.
The sickness is especially connected with hotels, water features, cruise ships and hospitals with old, poorly maintained pipework and cooling systems.
In order to avert the spread of Legionella micro organisms it is important to carry out a Legionella risk assessment.
This will assess the probability of a water system to harbour the micro organism and also describe how to minimise the release of the micro organism in aerosols from the system.
By doing a Legionella risk assessment a Legionella control plan can be carried out to avert the spread of the illness.
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