Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Seven Oaks Home for the Aged: Cooling tower: 127: 21: 16.5%: In late September, 2005, 127 residents of a nursing home became ill with Legionella pneumophila. Within a week, twenty-one of the residents had died. Culture results at first were negative. The source of the outbreak was traced to the air-conditioning cooling towers on the nursing ...
Legionella is a genus of gram-negative bacteria that can be seen using a silver stain or grown in a special media that contains cysteine, an amino acid.It is known to cause legionellosis [3] (all illnesses caused by Legionella) including a pneumonia-type illness called Legionnaires' disease and a mild flu-like illness called Pontiac fever. [3]
Legionnaires' disease is a form of atypical pneumonia caused by any species of Legionella bacteria, [3] quite often Legionella pneumophila. Signs and symptoms include cough, shortness of breath, high fever, muscle pains, and headaches. [2] Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may also occur. [1] This often begins 2–10 days after exposure. [2]
Legionella testing typically involves collecting water samples and surface swabs from evaporative cooling basins, shower heads, faucets/taps, and other locations where warm water collects. The samples are then cultured and colony forming units (cfu) of Legionella are quantified as cfu/liter.
Legionella pneumophila is the most common cause, but sometimes other species of Legionella bacteria also cause Legionnaires' disease. [ 15 ] [ 16 ] The terms "Philadelphia fever" and "Legion fever" appear to have been used at the time of the outbreak and for shortly thereafter, [ 17 ] although at least one 2008 source which covers disease in a ...
Ionization can be an effective process to control Legionella in potable water distribution systems found in health facilities, hotels, nursing homes, and large buildings. . In 2003, ionization became the first such hospital disinfection process to have fulfilled a proposed four-step modality evaluation; by then it had been adopted by over 100 hospitals.
Legionella pneumophila, the primary causative agent for Legionnaire's disease, is an aerobic, pleomorphic, flagellated, non-spore-forming, Gram-negative bacterium. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] L. pneumophila is a intracellular parasite that preferentially infects soil amoebae and freshwater protozoa for replication.
Since the discovery of Legionella bacteria at the facility, 20 people have been hospitalized, 10 people have tested positive and three of those who tested positive have died, the statement said.