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Legionnaires disease is a water borne bacterial infection that occurs naturally in small quantities in lakes, ponds and reservoirs and if untreated, not monitored or controlled can also develop in manmade water systems, cooling towers and air-conditioning units. Legionellosis is a disease that affects a body's respiratory system and causes a type of pneumonia. It is particularly virulent in individuals with a suppressed immune system, within the elderly, smokers and people who suffer with chest infections. The Legionnaires disease was first identified after an outbreak at the Bellevue Hotel in Philadelphia in 1976 during a veteran's conference of the American Legion. This struck down 221 of the conference's elderly members, leaving 34 people dead. Legionella bacteria multiplies rapidly in water where the temperature is between 20 degreees Celcius and 50 degrees Celcius. It particularly likes the warm environment found in cooling towers, hot tubs, swimming pools and hot water tanks. People are normally affected when the water supply is attached to a mechanism that causes an aerosol effect, such as water fountains, showerheads and whirlpool spas. The Legionella bacteria is carried in fine droplets of water and cannot be transferred orally between people. The disease can be caught any time of the year but the summer and early autumn months are most common. Transfer of the disease can also occur through inhaling the infection while drinking contaminated water and when working in bacteria contaminated soil. The presence of the disease is normally apparent between 2 and14 days after exposure. The symptoms include chills, fever, aching muscles, tiredness, nausea, poor appetite, vomiting and diarrhoea, chest pains and a shortness of breath. Although the Legionella bacteria can prove fatal it can be treated in most cases with antibiotics, however complications can show themselves in the form of kidney failure, respiratory problems and septic shock. There is also a milder, less dangerous form of the disease known as Pontiac fever, which causes mild respiratory problems and is less deadly than Legionnaires disease. The simplest methods for combating the disease is through thorough cleaning, regular testing and disinfecting areas that are likely sources such as tanks, cooling towers and climate control systems as well as all aerosol producing mechanisms. The main forms of treatment for Legionella pneumophila bacteria are chlorine, chlorine dioxide, sodium hypochlorite and ultra violet light. Descaling and removing any nutrients such as a bio film, debris and rust can also help prevent the multiplication of the bacteria.
To find out more about Legionella Risk Assessment and how to prevent it using Chlorination please take a look at Alex Hunt excellent resource at Electron Water Hygiene.
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