Last year, on February 20, 2016, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection released a proposed rule in the Pennsylvania Bulletin which called for the state’s water utilities to maintain a 0.2 mg/L chlorine residual in the water distribution system. This kind of active form of prevention should not only reduce the risk to individuals and families, but should also allow the groundwork necessary for other states across the country to pursue similar preventative actions. Indeed water distribution endpoints (i.e. all locations prior to potable water entering a residential or commercial building) are vital spots for potentially legionella bacteria formation. As…
In August of 2015, 133 Bronx residents contracted Legionnaires’ disease, an outbreak which ultimately resulted in the death of 16 individuals. This incident would be the worst recorded outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in New York state’s history however now, more than two years later, New York continues to show problems as 2017 posts a record number of cases, including a far larger rate of Legionnaires’ disease than just about every other state per capita. New York once again led the United States for reported cases of Legionnaires’ disease in 2017 with a total of 1,009 cases reported to the CDC. And far from the situation improving, this rate of…
In our previous post, we discussed first steps for institutions to take in order to develop an effective water management plan to reduce the risk of Legionnaires’ disease. And while it is certainly true that Legionnaires’ disease can occur within larger buildings, including older structures with older pipes, there is also the potential to encounter Legionella bacteria and Legionnaires’ disease with outdoor activities, including through gardening. There are a couple of reasons for this. As this site has discussed before, Legionella bacteria often forms in stagnant and standing pools of water, particularly when this water happens to be warm. When…
The recent hearing regarding the outbreak of Legionnaires disease in Quincy, Illinois serves to further highlight the importance of not only a rapid response, but more importantly, a strong prevention strategy. Indeed according to the Center for Disease Control, 9 out of 10 Legionnaires’ disease cases could have been prevented, a staggering figure which emphasizes the importance of prevention. With this in mind, this post serves to provide a general overview of methods institutions can take in order to reduce the risk of Legionnaires disease. First and foremost, reviewing the effectiveness of your water management plan regularly can make a…
A patient of St. Patrick Hospital recently tested positive for Legionella bacteria. Subsequent tests of the water supply at the hospital revealed its water was contaminated with the bacteria. The hospital’s remediation plans include installing medical-grade water filters on the faucets and shower heads. Not everyone who is exposed to Legionella bacteria is at risk for becoming ill. Most susceptible individuals tend to be of advanced age and/or have underlying medical conditions. The hospital is also providing patients with bottled water and keeping them up to date on remediation developments. If you believe you or someone you know has been…
Two LA Fitness centers were under investigation for Legionella bacteria after a total of four club members were diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease. The fitness center located at 12700 South Orange Blossom Trail recently tested positive for Legionella bacteria. Now, the fitness center at 4792 Kirkman Road has also tested positive for Legionella bacteria. Both gyms were advised by the health department to hyperchlorinate the water and put filters on shower heads located within their facilities. The facilities are awaiting the follow-up test results to see if these measures have eliminated the risk of Legionella transmission. LA Fitness has reportedly hired…
IDEXX Laboratories world campus in Westbrook, Maine IDEXX Laboratories, Inc., has developed an innovative water test called Legiolert™ to detect the presence of Legionella pneumophila in water sources, such as drinking water. This detection system can accurately depict the presence of Legionella pneumophila in potable water systems in seven days, as opposed to up to fourteen days using the customary culture methods of detecting the bacteria. Legiolert™ allows testers to skip steps of the usual testing procedures, such as colony counting and confirmation, which saves valuable laboratory time and reduces both the need for training and the risk of interpretation errors. Legionella pneumophila is the primary source of…
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock Treatment of Legionnaires’ disease typically involves a series of antibiotics that seek out and kill the present bacteria in a person’s system. This type of treatment is generally very effective, but as discussed in previous posts on this blog, there is concern about overuse of antibiotics leading to drug-resistant bacteria. However, a new potential treatment method has emerged as a secondary effect of specific cancer drugs. BH3-mimetic drugs target and switch-off BCL-XL proteins inside cells. This helps with cancer treatment because it prevents the cancer cells from surviving apoptosis – programmed cell death. Coincidentally, the BCL-XL protein is…
Mike Glasgow, Flint laboratory and water quality supervisor, is shown in this Flint Journal file photo. An interesting piece of information about the Flint water crisis emerged yesterday at an open hearing where members of the Flint community could testify before a Joint Committee. A water treatment plant official, Mike Glasgow, testified that he had tried to increase his staff number and the protection measures being taken as the switch to the Flint River occurred. However, he was blocked from doing so by officials at the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ). Glasgow became well known…
Protestors march along Saginaw Street demanding clean water outside of Flint City Hall in Flint, Mich. on Wednesday Oct. 7, 2015. Christian Randolph | MLive.com Summer is approaching quickly, and with it, warmer weather. Generally this is a pleasant transition from a cold winter, but the residents of Flint, Michigan may have a reason to dread the upcoming season. The transition to Spring may see an uptick in the number of cases of Legionnaires’ disease. Bacteria thrive in warmer water, and Flint has had a terrible problem with bacteria in the past year. Second to lead exposure, Legionella bacteria has been…