Bacteria that can grow in the water
I take a class called Disease. In this unit, we are learning about the Rø of disease outbreaks and how vaccines can decrease outbreaks. We had an opportunity to play a board game called Pandemic. This game taught us different roles of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and how hard it is to manage outbreaks. We have talked to two guests; one works for the Laboratory Leadership Service (LLS) and the other works for the Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) which is both subsets of work for the CDC. Our guest from the LLS and EIS answered a lot of our questions about diseases. We are also researching how different diseases can spread and their symptoms. Our task was to respond to a past outbreak not related to COVID-19. I have suggested strategies to prevent future outbreaks as a part of my response.
In the Sheraton Hotel located in Atlanta Georgia, they did not follow safety protocols for the water maintenance systems. Legionella bacteria was growing in the water - specifically in the cooling tower and the decorative fountain in the atrium. The bacteria had spread in the cooling tower which infected people. You can only be infected with Legionnaires' disease if you inhale mist or water vapor containing legionella bacteria. It cannot be transmitted person to person. Legionnaires’ disease is a very serious type of pneumonia (lung infection) caused by Legionella bacteria. Symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease include fever, chills, muscle aches, cough and shortness of breath. Legionella is usually in large warm takes of water, pools, hot tubs, large air conditioning units, and cooling towers (etc.).
This is a timeline of Legionnaires disease, from when it appears in the water, to when you get it, and when you no longer have it.
A.A.L, "Legionella timeline" 2022
In the Sheraton Hotel located in Atlanta Georgia, they did not follow safety protocols for the water maintenance systems. Legionella bacteria was growing in the water - specifically in the cooling tower and the decorative fountain in the atrium. The bacteria had spread in the cooling tower which infected people. You can only be infected with Legionnaires' disease if you inhale mist or water vapor containing legionella bacteria. It cannot be transmitted person to person. Legionnaires’ disease is a very serious type of pneumonia (lung infection) caused by Legionella bacteria. Symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease include fever, chills, muscle aches, cough and shortness of breath. Legionella is usually in large warm takes of water, pools, hot tubs, large air conditioning units, and cooling towers (etc.).
This is a timeline of Legionnaires disease, from when it appears in the water, to when you get it, and when you no longer have it.
A.A.L, "Legionella timeline" 2022
There are many ways the Legionella bacteria could have gotten into people's lungs. Often the bacteria can get in their lungs from hot showers, hot tubs, and decorative fountains. The guests staying in the Sheraton Hotel could have gotten sick from any of those locations. Water tanks are resources that are vulnerable to containing Legionella bacteria. Immune systems of people over the age of 50 may have more trouble fighting off and defending themselves from Legionnaires disease. The CDC does not mandate anything, they only make recommendations. Pretending to be a part of the CDC my personal, social, and recommendations for the mayor and citizens in Atlanta, Georgia.
Some personal precautions you can take are avoiding dirty pools, hot tubs, and inhaling spa steam that has not been disinfected/cleaned in a long time. If you own a pool or hot tub, be sure to clean them on a regular basis to avoid Legionella bacteria growing. If you have a humidifier, change the water after each use.
You can also help prevent others from catching or at least prevent outbreaks of Legionnaires disease. If you own or are renting a building with a large water maintenance system such as a hotel, public pool, spa, etc be sure to check that the water systems are up to date. If someone reports being infected with Legionnaires disease, shut down the water system and test it for Legionella bacteria.
A municipal policy recommendation would be checking for Legionella bacteria annually in pools, hot tubs, water maintenance systems, cooling and heating systems, and in decorative fountains. If you cannot test for Legionella you should remove, replace, or shut down the water system etc to prevent it from infecting anyone.
Cafasso, Jacquelyn. “Legionnaires' Disease: Risks, Symptoms, and Diagnosis.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 11 May 2017, https://www.healthline.com/health/legionnaires-disease.
ePainAssist, Team. “What Is the Incubation Period for Legionnaires Disease?” Epainassist, 10 Sept. 2018, https://www.epainassist.com/infections/what-is-the-incubation-period-for-legionnaires-disease.
“How Do You Get Legionnaires' Disease? Is It Contagious?” HC Info, 13 Oct. 2021, https://hcinfo.com/about/legionnaires-disease/how-does-a-person-get-legionnaires-disease/.
Howard, Jacqueline. “Deadly Legionnaires' Outbreak at Atlanta Hotel Is the Largest on Record in Georgia.” CNN, Cable News Network, 12 Aug. 2019, https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/11/health/legionnaires-outbreak-sheraton-atlanta-largest-in-georgia/index.html.
“Legionellosis (Legionnaires' Disease).” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/legionellosis-legionnaires-disease#:~:text=Most%20people%20exposed%20to%20the%20legionella%20bacterium%20do,history%20of%20heavy%20drinking%20are%20at%20highest%20risk.
“Legionellosis.” Georgia Department of Public Health, https://dph.georgia.gov/legionellosis.
Legionnaire's Disease - What It Is and What You Need to Know, https://www.ehso.com/diseaselegionaire.htm#:~:text=They%20generally%20recover%20in%202%20to%205%20days,shorter%2C%20generally%20a%20few%20hours%20to%202%20days.
“Legionnaires Disease Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 25 Mar. 2021, https://www.cdc.gov/legionella/clinicians/diagnostic-testing.html.
“Legionnaires Disease History, Burden, and Trends.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 25 Mar. 2021, https://www.cdc.gov/legionella/about/history.html.
“Legionnaires Disease Signs and Symptoms.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 25 Mar. 2021, https://www.cdc.gov/legionella/about/signs-symptoms.html.
Some personal precautions you can take are avoiding dirty pools, hot tubs, and inhaling spa steam that has not been disinfected/cleaned in a long time. If you own a pool or hot tub, be sure to clean them on a regular basis to avoid Legionella bacteria growing. If you have a humidifier, change the water after each use.
You can also help prevent others from catching or at least prevent outbreaks of Legionnaires disease. If you own or are renting a building with a large water maintenance system such as a hotel, public pool, spa, etc be sure to check that the water systems are up to date. If someone reports being infected with Legionnaires disease, shut down the water system and test it for Legionella bacteria.
A municipal policy recommendation would be checking for Legionella bacteria annually in pools, hot tubs, water maintenance systems, cooling and heating systems, and in decorative fountains. If you cannot test for Legionella you should remove, replace, or shut down the water system etc to prevent it from infecting anyone.
Works Cited:
ePainAssist, Team. “What Is the Incubation Period for Legionnaires Disease?” Epainassist, 10 Sept. 2018, https://www.epainassist.com/infections/what-is-the-incubation-period-for-legionnaires-disease.
“How Do You Get Legionnaires' Disease? Is It Contagious?” HC Info, 13 Oct. 2021, https://hcinfo.com/about/legionnaires-disease/how-does-a-person-get-legionnaires-disease/.
Howard, Jacqueline. “Deadly Legionnaires' Outbreak at Atlanta Hotel Is the Largest on Record in Georgia.” CNN, Cable News Network, 12 Aug. 2019, https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/11/health/legionnaires-outbreak-sheraton-atlanta-largest-in-georgia/index.html.
“Legionellosis (Legionnaires' Disease).” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/legionellosis-legionnaires-disease#:~:text=Most%20people%20exposed%20to%20the%20legionella%20bacterium%20do,history%20of%20heavy%20drinking%20are%20at%20highest%20risk.
“Legionellosis.” Georgia Department of Public Health, https://dph.georgia.gov/legionellosis.
Legionnaire's Disease - What It Is and What You Need to Know, https://www.ehso.com/diseaselegionaire.htm#:~:text=They%20generally%20recover%20in%202%20to%205%20days,shorter%2C%20generally%20a%20few%20hours%20to%202%20days.
“Legionnaires Disease Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 25 Mar. 2021, https://www.cdc.gov/legionella/clinicians/diagnostic-testing.html.
“Legionnaires Disease History, Burden, and Trends.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 25 Mar. 2021, https://www.cdc.gov/legionella/about/history.html.
“Legionnaires Disease Signs and Symptoms.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 25 Mar. 2021, https://www.cdc.gov/legionella/about/signs-symptoms.html.
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