Legionella bacteria Archives

December 15, 2020 jzacher 0 Comments

Legionella exposure poses a risk as schools reopen

As buildings continue to reopen during the coronavirus pandemic, the risk of legionella exposure remains, including in schools that have been closed for many months. Stagnant water, like that in buildings that have been closed for extended periods, provides an ideal environment for Legionella to grow. At least 10 schools in Pennsylvania and Ohio found harmful bacteria in their plumbing when attempting to reopen this fall. Schools often have many water use locations, from gym showers to drinking fountains, making them vulnerable to bacterial growth, including Legionella, when the systems aren’t cared for properly. However, water researchers note that most…

December 7, 2020 jzacher 0 Comments

Smithsonian Magazine highlights rising legionella cases

Smithsonian Magazine recently published an article discussing rising rates of legionella exposure over the last two decades. While the United States has some of the safest drinking water in the world, due in large part to the passage of the U.S. Safe Drinking Water Act in 1974, exposure to legionella continues to be an issue across the country. Legionella accounts for about 60% of waterborne disease outbreaks over the last decade, now the leading cause of outbreaks. While almost 10,000 cases of Legionnaires’ disease were reported to the CDC in 2018 experts suggest that the real number may be significantly…

November 30, 2020 zacherlaw 0 Comments

Safe water access remains a problem across the U.S.

The Harvard Kennedy School’s Journalist’s Resource recently published an interesting article highlighting the inequities in access to safe in-home water across the United States. Around 1.1 million people across the U.S. report lacking some access to running water in their homes and households of color are disproportionately more likely to fall into this group. Households of color in metropolitan areas are 34% more likely to lack complete plumbing in their home. For a household to have complete plumbing, it must have it running hot and cold water plus a bathtub or shower used only by people living in the dwelling.…

November 23, 2020 zacherlaw 0 Comments

Possible Legionella Outbreak in Wisconsin

There has been a suspected legionella outbreak in Spring Green, Wisconsin. Two individuals who stayed at the Round Barn Lodge have confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease. While there has not yet been testing to confirm the lodge as their source of exposure, both individuals began feeling symptoms 10-14 days after their stay which falls within the typical incubation period for Legionnaires’ disease. The lodge has since hired an independent laboratory partner to test the water and resolve any problems with the water that may be found. The lodge has voluntarily closed and notified past guests with information provided by the…

November 19, 2020 zacherlaw 0 Comments

Flint water crisis settlement grows to $641 million

The settlement of the Flint water crisis lawsuits has recently grown to $641 million dollars. The initial settlement amount this summer was $600 million, but the amount increased with additional defendants, including the city of Flint, joining the settlement. With roughly 80 percent of the settlement slated to go to children, prioritizing those who were 6 years old or younger when they were first exposed to Flint River water, money will also be available to those who contracted Legionnaires’ disease from Flint water. People who were both exposed to water received from the Flint treatment plant and diagnosed with Legionnaires’…

November 18, 2020 zacherlaw 0 Comments

The Duty of a Maintenance Company

The next case we’re going to revisit, while also involving a hotel, is unique as it involved an external maintenance company and the duty it owed to keep a pool system safe. In this case, a hotel employee was tasked with manually cleaning out the filter for the pool and hot tub. Within a week, the employee began to feel ill and was later diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease. He was the third case of Legionnaires’ disease that could be traced back to the hotel. He was hospitalized multiple times over a 5-month period as a result of his diagnosis. Both…

November 13, 2020 zacherlaw 0 Comments

Legionella Revisited: The Hospital Case

Hospital-associated cases are what they sound like: contaminated water at the hospital causes illness amongst its patients and/or employees. Healthcare facilities like hospitals and nursing homes usually serve the populations with the highest risk of contracting Legionnaires’ Disease: elderly individuals and individuals with prior-existing conditions. The following case we had a few years ago. In 2017, the client was admitted to a nearby hospital. Shortly after, she developed symptoms consistent with Legionnaires’ Disease such as cough and fatigue, was treated in the ICU, and then discharged. Unfortunately, because physicians misdiagnosed her, she had to be readmitted days later. Arriving in acute…

November 13, 2020 zacherlaw 0 Comments

Connecticut Investigating Possible Case of Legionnaires’ Disease

The State Department of Health is investigating a possible case of Legionnaires’ Disease following the death of a man in New Haven, Connecticut. According to the Director of Communications at the Department, Yale New Haven Hospital reported the case to health officials. The Director has not said where the Department believes the man may have contracted the disease. This is an ongoing matter. Health officials at the State Department of Health are still investigating the possible sources of Legionella. As information comes in, we will provide updates.[1] Click here for 100% free consultation. THE MATERIALS ON THIS WEBSITE HAVE BEEN…

June 20, 2017 zacherlaw 0 Comments

Legionella and Climate Change

Legionella, the Legionnaires’ disease causing bacteria, is ubiquitous in the natural environment, especially in damp soil and water. While the organism is present more or less everywhere, water temperatures of 72–107 °F are ideal conditions for rapid growth. This explains why outbreaks of Legionnaire’s disease become more common in the summer months and have often been linked to contaminated artificial water systems – especially air conditioning units in large buildings which use water for cooling. Studies of associations between weather variables and sporadic cases of legionnaires’ disease suggest that as temperatures rise globally so too does the prevalence of environments conducive to legionella growth.…

June 14, 2017 zacherlaw 0 Comments

LA Fitness Outbreak; 4 contract Legionnaires’ Disease in Florida Gym

In Orange County, FL, 4 members of an LA Fitness gym have contracted Legionnaires’ disease. The Department of Health has begun investigating whether the spas and showers located at the LA Fitness location could have been the source of the legionella bacteria. News of the Florida cases comes on the heels of several other outbreaks around the country. The bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ was found in a New York City police precinct where an officer was hospitalized with symptoms of the disease. Last week, the Southern Nevada Health District announced it is investigating two cases of Legionnaires’ in guests who stayed…