What Is Legionnaires Disease?
If you own a pool/hot tub, you most likely know what Legionnaires Disease is.
This is a severe type of pneumonia (lung infection) caused by aspirating or inhaling contaminated particles of water in itself or in the air that contain Legionella bacteria. Examples would be swallowing water and it going down the wrong pipe or breathing in steam from hot tubs. This infection generally doesn’t affect most healthy people. The people most at risk of contracting this disease are those over 50 years of age, smokers, those with weak immune systems, cancer, lung disease, and underlying illnesses. (CDC, 2020)
Symptoms & Diagnosis
After an evening in the Jacuzzi with friends, you go home to feel a little bit under the weather and your breathing is not tip top shape. Some of us only experience mild symptoms while in others, this disease can cause serious Pneumonia symptoms like a cough, shortness of breath, fever & chills, headache and muscle aches.
Doctors use an Xray of the chest or physical exam to determine if there is fluid in your chest. They can also test your urine or phlegm to see if your infection was caused by Legionella. (CDC Legionnaires Disease Fact Sheet, 2016)
Outbreaks
“In 2018, there were 9,933 cases of Legionnaires’ disease, the most ever recorded in a single year since the disease was first identified in 1976, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)” (Elliot, 2020).
This number is low balled because of how often these mild symptoms show up and are just brushed off as a cold or flu. Plenty of cases are traced back to hotels and travel lodges, jacuzzi displays at shows and fairs from not properly cleaning tubs even if they are just on display. (Elliot, 2020).
Year-Round Care
Pool and Spa maintenance YEAR ROUND is the first beneficial step to providing a leisurely environment for yourself and others to enjoy. Be sure to clean your hot tub and pools to ensure evaporated waters don’t contain harmful bacteria that can cause serious health implications.
Install an Ultraviolet Light Sterilizer to control bacteria, pathogens and contaminants from circling your recreational water! Aqua Ultraviolet UV Sterilizers inactivate single cell free floating contagions and give you peace of mind!
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Sources and Further Readings:
Legionnaires Disease Cause and Spread. (2020) https://www.cdc.gov/legionella/about/causes-transmission.html
CDC Legionnaires Disease Fact Sheet. (2016) https://www.cdc.gov/legionella/downloads/fs-legionnaires.pdf
Olsen, Elliot. (2020). 2019 Legionnaires outbreaks: Another busy year for Legionella. https://www.legionnairesdiseasenews.com/2020/01/2019-legionnaires-outbreaks/
