An outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in New York City has infected at least 58 people and killed two, the NYC Health Department reports.
This might put you on edge if you’re near the epicenter or you aren’t feeling well. While the disease is treatable, older adults are more vulnerable to it, so it’s good to be informed.
Legionnaires’ disease is a serious form of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacterium.
People older than age 50 and those with diabetes, kidney failure, cancer, lung disease or a weakened immune system are at higher risk, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Those in long-term care facilities, including nursing homes, can be especially prone to infection because those spaces likely have the large water systems that can become contaminated.
What is Legionnaires’ disease?
Legionnaires’ disease is the “lung manifestation” or pneumonia that’s caused by Legionella bacterium, says Jin Suh, M.D., chief of infectious disease at St. Joseph’s Health in Paterson, New Jersey.
Pontiac fever, a less serious illness caused by the same bacteria can lead to flu-like symptoms such as fever or muscle ache.
In rare cases, Legionella can infect other parts of your body outside of the lungs, such as in the heart and brain, or by way of skin infections, Suh says.
What causes Legionnaires’ disease?
Legionella bacterium naturally occurs in lakes, streams and soil. It’s an environmental pathogen, Suh says. There’s typically not enough bacteria in natural environment to cause illness.
The bacterium can contaminate drinking water and air systems, which is where the bacteria can multiply and lead to outbreaks. It can also grow in sink faucets, shower heads and hot tubs at home. You can get also Legionnaires’ disease through aspiration, or when something goes down the wrong pipe, but that’s not as common.
Mohamed Hamdy Yassin, M.D., an infectious disease specialist with University of Pittsburgh Medical Center who sees about 15 to 20 cases of Legionnaires’ disease each year, says the infection doesn’t always come from large buildings. Most cases he has seen come from a problem with a home’s water system. If your home water system has problems, or hasn’t run in a while, the bacterium can build up to harmful levels.
“It’s not uncommon to see people living in areas where their water system is not very well maintained,” Yassin says, and those people are at higher risk for the disease.
Another cause for infections is in people who own a second home where the water doesn’t run for months. (In that case, run your water for about 30 minutes before taking a shower or drinking the water, Yassin advises.)
There are at least 60 different strains of Legionella, though the majority of illnesses are caused by Legionella pneumophila, the CDC reports.