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Legionella And Waterborne Outbreaks Are Increasing, Warns CDC
http://www.forbes.com/sites/judystone/2015/08/14/legionella-waterborne-outbreaks-increasing-warns-cdc/
A new report from the CDC provides an update on infections associated with drinking water in the U.S. from 2011-2012. During these two years, there were 32 outbreaks, causing at least 431 infections, with a quarter of them (102) requiring hospitalization, and 14 deaths. Legionella caused 21 (66%) of the outbreaks, 111 cases, most of the hospitalizations and all of the deaths.
Norovirus only was found to cause twooutbreaks, but they involved 138 cases. Other bacterial causes of outbreaks included Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (56), Shigella sonnei and Pantoea agglomerans, a bacteria associated with hospital-acquired bloodstream infections.
Disturbingly, hospitals or healthcare facilities were the site of half of the outbreaks (16, or 50%). Hotels ranked next, at 13%, then camps.
Outbreaks from water systems that used surface water sources (56.3%) were, unsurprisingly, more common than others.
Looking at individual cases, viruses led, causing 32% of infections. Legionella took second place (26%) and organisms that could be effectively killed by chlorine—the gastrointestinal pathogens (norovirus, enteric bacteria, and the parasite Giardia) accounted for more than half of the cases. This highlights the need to maintain adequate disinfection and monitoring even in these drinking water systems.
The need for ongoing surveillance and upkeep has been amply illustrated in the recent outbreak of Legionnaire’s disease in the Bronx, found to be due to contaminated water in cooling towers.
Legionella infections have a higher death rate because they more often affect immunocompromised individuals (elderly, COPD, etc.), and have been seen more often in healthcare facilities. Legionella is more difficult to detect and eradicate since it can multiply within plumbing systems. Infections from Legionella occur more often from aerosolized water particles, thus presenting as pneumonia, while the viruses and parasites cause diarrheal illness after drinking contaminated water.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/judystone/2015/08/14/legionella-waterborne-outbreaks-increasing-warns-cdc/
A new report from the CDC provides an update on infections associated with drinking water in the U.S. from 2011-2012. During these two years, there were 32 outbreaks, causing at least 431 infections, with a quarter of them (102) requiring hospitalization, and 14 deaths. Legionella caused 21 (66%) of the outbreaks, 111 cases, most of the hospitalizations and all of the deaths.
Norovirus only was found to cause twooutbreaks, but they involved 138 cases. Other bacterial causes of outbreaks included Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (56), Shigella sonnei and Pantoea agglomerans, a bacteria associated with hospital-acquired bloodstream infections.
Disturbingly, hospitals or healthcare facilities were the site of half of the outbreaks (16, or 50%). Hotels ranked next, at 13%, then camps.
Outbreaks from water systems that used surface water sources (56.3%) were, unsurprisingly, more common than others.
Looking at individual cases, viruses led, causing 32% of infections. Legionella took second place (26%) and organisms that could be effectively killed by chlorine—the gastrointestinal pathogens (norovirus, enteric bacteria, and the parasite Giardia) accounted for more than half of the cases. This highlights the need to maintain adequate disinfection and monitoring even in these drinking water systems.
The need for ongoing surveillance and upkeep has been amply illustrated in the recent outbreak of Legionnaire’s disease in the Bronx, found to be due to contaminated water in cooling towers.
Legionella infections have a higher death rate because they more often affect immunocompromised individuals (elderly, COPD, etc.), and have been seen more often in healthcare facilities. Legionella is more difficult to detect and eradicate since it can multiply within plumbing systems. Infections from Legionella occur more often from aerosolized water particles, thus presenting as pneumonia, while the viruses and parasites cause diarrheal illness after drinking contaminated water.