United States. More than 76 percent of cases of legionellosis acquired from exposure to Legionella in health centers can be particularly harsh, including potentially fatal risks to patients, according to a report published by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
Legionnaires' disease is a serious type of pneumonia caused by bacteria, called Legionella, that lives in water. Legionella can make people sick when they inhale contaminated water from building water systems that are not properly maintained.
The report's findings — which were part of the CDC's monthly Vital Signs release — are based on exposure data from 20 states and New York City. According to the CDC, the analysis was limited to these 21 jurisdictions because they reported exposure details for most of their cases, allowing the CDC to determine how Legionnaires' disease was associated with health centers.
About 3 percent of Legionnaires' disease cases were determined to be "definitely associated with a health facility," with 17 percent of cases listed as "possibly associated with a health facility."
"Determining the causation of Legionnaires' disease is not simple as the mere presence of Legionella in a water system or device is not sufficient to cause the disease. The bacteria must be inhaled or aspirated into the lungs of a susceptible person to cause the disease," says Michael Patton, member of the ASHRAE SSPC 188 Committee.
Given that people with conditions that have reduced their ability to fight infections are especially susceptible, it's no surprise that the report found that patients in health facilities are at risk. It is vitally important that all buildings incorporate good design, operations and maintenance procedures that prevent the growth and spread of Legionella, as these are considered to be the best methods to prevent the disease."
The incorporation of a Water Management Plan will reduce the chances of strong colonization, amplification and dissemination to people. With this in mind, ASHRAE developed ASHRAE Standard 188: Legionellosis: Risk Management for the Construction of Water Systems to assist building designers and operators in the development of a Water Management Plan that includes practices specific to existing systems in a particular building, .
To date, more than 5,000 copies of ASHRAE 188 have been purchased (see here https://www.ashrae.org/Standard188).
Based on this ASHRAE standard, the CDC developed a toolkit titled "Developing a Water Management Program to Reduce the Growth and Spread of Legionella in Buildings: A Practical Guide to Implementing Industry Standards." The document – initially released in 2016 and updated last Monday, June 5 – provides a checklist. for building owners and managers to help identify whether a water management program is needed, examples to help identify where Legionella might grow and spread in a building, and ways to reduce the risk of contamination.
For more information on Legionella, Legionnaires' disease, and the toolbox, visit www.cdc.gov/legionella.
