Category Archives: Legionnaires’ disease

Legionella – What Landlords Need to Know About Legionella

Posted on August 7, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Legionella Control 

This article provides a compilation of the most frequently asked questions we receive from landlords about the control of legionella in their properties and what they need to do to comply with the law. It covers a range of popular questions with comprehensive answers from our experts, along with a number of free downloads (full versions) for key guides produced by the Health and Safety Executive dealing with the control of legionella including their ACOP L8 and HSG274 Parts 1, 2 and 3.

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Posted in Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Legionella, Legionnaires’ disease, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Uncategorized, water microbiology

Europe – Legionnaires’ disease – Annual Epidemiological Report for 2018

Posted on July 27, 2020 by | Leave a comment

ECDC European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

Legionnaires’ disease remains an uncommon and mainly sporadic respiratory infection with an overall notification rate of 2.2 per 100 000 for the EU/EEA in 2018. There is heterogeneity in notification rates between EU/EEA countries, with the highest rate reported by Slovenia (7.7 per 100 000). The annual notification rate increased continuously over the period 2014–2018, from 1.3 per 100 000 in 2014 to 2.2 in 2018. There was a 23% increase in the number of cases in 2018 compared with 2017.Four countries (France, Germany, Italy and Spain) accounted for 71% of all notified cases in 2018. Males aged 65 years and above were most affected (8.5 per 100 000).

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Legionnaires’ disease – Annual Epidemiological Report for 2018 – EN – [PDF-1.66 MB]

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Posted in Contaminated water, ECDC, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Legionella, Legionnaires’ disease, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Research, Uncategorized, Water, water microbiology, Water Safety

Research – Transmission of Legionnaires’ Disease through Toilet Flushing

Posted on June 14, 2020 by | Leave a comment

CDC CDC legionella

We describe 2 cases of healthcare-associated Legionnaires’ disease in patients in France hospitalized 5 months apart in the same room. Whole-genome sequencing analyses showed that clinical isolates from the patients and isolates from the room’s toilet clustered together. Toilet contamination by Legionella pneumophila could lead to a risk for exposure through flushing.

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Posted in Contaminated water, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Legionella, Legionnaires’ disease, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Research, Uncategorized, Water, water microbiology, Water Safety

Information – Legionella risks during the coronavirus outbreak

Posted on May 19, 2020 by | Leave a comment

HSE

CDC legionella

Image CDC

 

Employers, the self-employed and people in control of premises, such as landlords, have a duty to identify and control risks associated with legionella.

If your building was closed or has reduced occupancy during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, water system stagnation can occur due to lack of use, increasing the risks of Legionnaires’ disease. This may particularly affect:

For detailed guidance on Legionella and safer working during the coronavirus outbreak visit the HSE website.

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Posted in Boil Water Notice, Contaminated water, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Legionella, Legionnaires’ disease, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Uncategorized, Water, water microbiology, Water Safety

Information – Controlling Legionella on Ships, Ferries & Maritime Vessels

Posted on February 18, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Legionella Control

This expert guide from our water safety specialists looks at the control of legionella on ships, ferries and other maritime vessels. The guide considers the water safety risks that can arise on-board different vessels, the need to consider dry dock safety, why a detailed risk assessment and Water Safety Plan are essential, and concludes by outlining the potential consequences following an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease.

When we hear about outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease, we tend to associate them with scenarios that occur on land – in hotels, hospitals, leisure centres etc. However, there are similar opportunities for Legionella bacteria to grow and spread at sea too. Ships, ferries, cruise liners and other maritime vessels of all shapes and sizes can be affected, and as such must take suitable precautions to make sure their water systems are safe for those who use them or are exposed to them.

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Posted in Contaminated water, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Legionella, Legionnaires’ disease, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Uncategorized, Water, water microbiology, Water Safety

Research – How Temperature Influences Legionella Growth

Posted on February 16, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Legionella Control

CDC legionella

Image CDC

In this review the experts at Legionella Control International look at how water temperatures influence legionella growth and how this information can be used to control the risks from the bacteria.

Under certain circumstances Legionella bacteria can lead to serious illness and fatalities in humans. Since Legionella bacteria can exist in man-made water systems, it is imperative to ensure the water is stored, maintained and distributed at temperatures that do not encourage the growth and spread of the bacteria.

There are three temperature ranges that have an influence on the growth and proliferation of Legionella bacteria. We’ll look at each of these in the link above.

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Posted in Contaminated water, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Legionella, Legionnaires’ disease, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Research, Uncategorized, water microbiology, Water Safety

Research – Can Hard Water & Limescale Increase Legionella Risks?

Posted on January 20, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Legionella Control

CDC legionella

Image CDC

This specialist guide has been written by the water safety experts at Legionella Control International and asks if the presence of hard water and limescale increases the risks from Legionella bacteria and Legionnaires’ disease. The guide looks at the formation of scale in water systems, fittings and appliances and how it can encourage the growth of biofilm and bacteria including legionella. It concludes by reviewing what practical measures can be taken to prevent, or at least reduce the risks that limescale brings with it.

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Posted in Contaminated water, Food Microbiology Research, Food Technology, Legionella, Legionnaires’ disease, Research, Technology, Uncategorized, Water, water microbiology, Water Safety

USA – Illinois: Legionnaires’ Disease reported at Quincy Veterans home

Posted on January 6, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Outbreak News Today

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Image CDC

The Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs (IDVA) and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) are investigating a single case of Legionnaires’ disease in a resident at the Illinois Veterans Home – Quincy (IVHQ). The resident has received medical treatment and is recovering at IVHQ. No other cases have been identified and IVHQ continues to follow its plans to monitor residents for respiratory illness. The last case of Legionnaires’ disease at IVHQ was February 2018.

IDPH infectious disease staff are working with the facility to collect information and further investigate the resident’s illness. IVHQ has notified residents, staff, and families or power-of-attorneys. IVHQ continues to operate a robust water management program and is implementing best practices to control the growth and spread of waterborne pathogens. IVHQ provides additional water treatment, including filtration and disinfection, prior to use on its campus. IVHQ also maintains point of use filters on all fixtures in residential areas to reduce the possibility of transmission to susceptible individuals. IVHQ continues to conduct active surveillance for Legionella by monitoring residents and reviewing water quality data on an ongoing basis.

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Posted in Contaminated water, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Legionella, Legionnaires’ disease, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Uncategorized, Water, water microbiology, Water Safety