Latest news with #LegionellaBacteria
Forbes
4 days ago
- Health
- Forbes
What Is Legionnaire's Disease? Here's What To Know About New York City Outbreak
At least three people have died in a Legionnaires' disease outbreak in Harlem, authorities said in the most recent update, in the latest summer flare-up of the disease that officials say primarily impacts older people and is potentially linked to poorly maintained cooling towers. People over the age of 50 are at a higher risk of contracting the disease caused by the legionella bacteria, authorities said. Getty Images Legionnaires' is a perennial problem in New York City, especially in buildings that use water cooling towers as part of their air conditioning systems. Most recently, five people died in a 2022 outbreak at the Amsterdam Nursing Home in the Bronx, a 409-bed facility that had been cited by city inspectors seven times in the previous six years for failing to maintain cooling towers, The New York Times reported. The rate of Legionnaires' disease in New York City has steadily risen over the last decade, according to a city Department of Health report published in 2022, with total cases peaking at 656 in 2018. The largest outbreak in New York City's history happened in 2015, when outbreaks of legionella in multiple apartment buildings in the Bronx infected a total of 138 people, killing 16, according to a case study from the National Institutes of Health. Legionnaires' is spread by the legionella bacteria, which causes both the pneumonia-like disease and Pontiac fever. Symptoms include a cough, fever, headaches, muscle aches and shortness of breath, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The disease was named after the location of its first identified outbreak—a 1976 American Legion convention at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia, which sickened 182 people and led to 29 deaths. How Does Legionnaires' Spread? Legionella grows in certain man-made water systems like showerheads, hot tubs, decorative water features and plumbing systems. It does not grow in window and car air conditioning units, both the CDC and the NYC Health Department confirmed. However, it can grow in large cooling towers for central air conditioning systems, like the kind commonly found on the roofs of buildings in parts of New York City. There is no issue with any building's plumbing system in the impacted parts of Harlem, the Health Department said, and residents can continue using tap water to drink, bathe and cook. Legionnaires' is spread by breathing mist that contains the bacteria, and cannot be spread person-to-person. There is no vaccine to prevent Legionnaires' disease. New York City requires building owners to register their cooling towers and pass routine inspections and testing for the disease. The CDC says legionella thrives in water between 77 degrees Fahrenheit and 113 degrees, and recommends buildings store cold water below 77 degrees and hot water above 140 degrees to prevent the bacteria's growth. Individuals can also take steps to prevent the bacteria's growth, the CDC says, including monitoring their own water heaters' temperature and regularly flushing their units. The agency also recommends regularly cleaning faucets and showerheads, and flushing them by running cold water for at least two minutes, followed by running hot water until it gets hot. Where Else Does Legionnaires' Spread? The Northeast and Midwest recorded the highest rates of Legionnaires' cases in 2019, the most recent year the CDC published a full review. Ohio recorded 785 cases in 2019, and other large states saw similar caseloads: 614 were reported in Illinois, 606 in New York state, 579 in Pennsylvania and 551 in Michigan. Who Is At Risk? People above age 50 are more at risk, according to the NYC Health Department. Over 82% of the 8,890 cases recorded across the country in 2019 occurred in Americans over 50, and men made up 63% of the cases. Black Americans have a higher incidence rate than white people, according to the CDC's data. Smokers, people with chronic lung disease, diabetes, cancer, kidney failure, liver failure, weakened immune systems or are taking medication that weakens the immune system such as drugs for chemotherapy, are all also more at risk. Most cases of Legionnaires' occur in the Northeast and Midwest in the summer and fall months. Key Background At least 67 people have contracted Legionnaires' disease in Central Harlem, the New York City Health Department said in its most recent update. Three deaths have been reported so far, according to authorities. The outbreak is localized in five New York City ZIP codes: 10027, 10030, 10035, 10037 and 10039. 'All cooling towers in the area have been sampled, and work is underway,' Mayor Eric Adams said in a video posted on social media. The city's health department said the risk for most people was low, but warned residents to seek medical attention immediately if they experience flu-like symptoms.
CBC
5 days ago
- Health
- CBC
Legionnaires' outbreak in London over but source is still a mystery
Social Sharing The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) has declared the end of the legionnaires' disease outbreak that killed three people and infected 70 people, landing many in hospital. It's the second year in a row that the legionella bacteria has made people sick in London, and again, the source of the This year's outbreak, which was declared on July 8, spanned a six-kilometre radius across the city and included the region's largest hospital. In mid-July, testing of Victoria Hospital's cooling towers came back positive. In addition to those tests, the MLHU said it tested 26 other cooling tower sites, but could not find a match. Legionnaires' disease is caused by legionella bacteria, naturally found in water sources. If conditions are right, it can contaminate hot tubs, cooling towers, hot water tanks, large plumbing systems or parts of air-conditioning systems. Legionella is not transmitted from person to person. If the bacteria are aerosolized or misted into the air (via wind or fans), people may inhale the bacteria and become unwell. Most people exposed to legionella don't get ill, but some may experience Pontiac fever, a mild, flu-like illness that commonly resolves itself. Last summer, the MLHU declared an outbreak that killed two people and infected 30 others. The Canadian government says the average number of reported cases of legionnaires' disease in this country is generally under 100 per year, but the actual number of cases may be much higher, as many people with pneumonia may not be tested for legionella. This year, the MLHU said 91 per cent of cases, or 64 people, were hospitalized, with one person still being treated. The health unit said Wednesday that the search for the source of the bacteria will continue.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
What to know about Legionnaires' disease, which has sickened dozens in New York City
An outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in New York City has killed two people and sickened 58 since late July. City health officials link the Central Harlem outbreak to cooling towers, structures containing water and a fan that are used to cool buildings. They said 11 of these towers initially tested positive for a type of bacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease, but the problem has been remedied. They urged people in the area with flu-like symptoms to contact a health care provider as soon as possible, especially if they are 50 or older, smoke or have chronic lung conditions. Here's what to know. What is Legionnaires' disease? It's a type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria, which grow in warm water and spread in building water systems. They can be found in places such as showerheads, hot tubs and cooling towers. People often get the disease by inhaling aerosols from contaminated water. Hospital patients can also contract it through contaminated water or ice, and babies can be exposed during water births, health officials said. People don't get it from each other. Symptoms usually develop two days to two weeks after exposure and include cough, fever, headaches, muscle aches and shortness of breath, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How does Legionnaires' disease hurt you and how can you treat it? It's important to be diagnosed quickly and treated with the appropriate antibiotics, health officials said. If untreated, the disease usually worsens during the first week, the World Health Organization said. Complications can include respiratory failure, shock and kidney or multi-organ failure. How can Legionnaires' disease be prevented? People responsible for the safety of buildings and water systems can reduce the threat by taking steps to minimize the growth of the bacteria, the WHO said. For example, they should regularly clean and disinfect cooling towers, maintain an adequate level of chlorine in spa pools and flush unused taps in buildings weekly. There are also steps people can take to reduce the risk of Legionnaires' disease at home. New York state health officials suggest draining garden hoses; following manufacturers' instructions for cleaning and replacing water filters; checking chlorine levels in pools and hot tubs regularly and flushing hot water heaters twice a year. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Solve the daily Crossword
CTV News
24-07-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Cooling tanks at LHSC Victoria test positive for legionella bacteria, which causes legionnaires disease
London Health Sciences Centre says the cooling towers at Victoria Hospital have tested positive for the legionella bacteria. They can grow in hot tubs and hot water tanks, or large plumbing or air conditioning systems, places where water turns to vapour. Now the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) says legionella bacteria, the bacteria that cause legionnaires disease, have been found in samples from the cooling towers at the Victoria campus. 'Water evaporates and becomes aerosolized, where the bacteria can be in the air, then inhaled by people, and people can get sick,' explained Dr. Nadim Khalil, the Site Lead, Infection, Prevention and Control at LHSC Children's Hospital. So what is legionnaires disease? LHSC describes it as a serious type of pneumonia, though it is not spread by person-to-person contact. Signs can include fever, chills, dry cough, and shortness of breath. On July 9, Middlesex London Health Unit declared a legionnaires outbreak within a six-kilometre radius in southeast London. As of Tuesday, there were 69 reported cases, and two deaths. london - legionnaires - july 2025 A heat map provided by the Middlesex-London Health Unit shows the general area of confirmed cases (home addresses) of Legionnaires' disease reported to the Middlesex-London Health Unit in 2025. 'Even though there have been 69 cases, it's still fairly low number just considering the population of London. That falls down to roughly one in 10,000 people getting sick,' said Dr. Khalil. While LHSC Victoria falls within the catchment area, officials say the hospital is not the source of the outbreak. 'There's not an increased risk from catching legionella from being in the hospital than anywhere else in London,' said Dr. Khalil. 'So unfortunately, just because we do fall in that radius,' he explained. Dr. Khalil said LHSC is doubling its efforts with chemical cleaning of the cooling tanks. 'So regardless of the test results, we have had treatment done to the water supply, and we are proceeding with an even more aggressive treatment and cleaning, just to make sure we're not causing any potential harm to the community,' he said. The hospital is awaiting results of the positive samples, taken about a week ago. That's to determine whether it's the same strain found in the community. They're expected in about three weeks.
