Two linked cases of legionellosis with an unusual industrial source

O'Keefe, Noelene S; Heinrich-Morrison, Kristina A; McLaren, Bruce M.

doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2005.tb07134.x

Cited by 7 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…Ill employees had significantly higher mean antibody titers against the environmental isolate than employees that were not ill and an unexposed control group, and attack rates decreased linearly with the distance from the system. One LD case and one Pontiac fever case were linked to L. pneumophila SG1 found in high concentrations (1.3 × 10 5 CFU/L) in an uncovered water tank that acted as a heat exchange for a welding cooling system . In the last two studies, no clinical isolates were obtained, but other possible sources were excluded, resulting in an LOE of III.…”

Section: Confirmed Legionella Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One LD case and one Pontiac fever case were linked to L. pneumophila SG1 found in high concentrations (1.3 × 10 5 CFU/L) in an uncovered water tank that acted as a heat exchange for a welding cooling system. 162 In the last two studies, no clinical isolates were obtained, but other possible sources were excluded, resulting in an LOE of III. Other Confirmed Sources.…”

Section: Environmental Science and Technologymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Confirmed and Potential Sources of Legionella Reviewed

Heijnsbergen

Schalk

Euser

et al. 2015

Environ. Sci. Technol.

140

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Legionella bacteria are ubiquitous in natural matrices and man-made systems. However, it is not always clear if these reservoirs can act as source of infection resulting in cases of Legionnaires' disease. This review provides an overview of reservoirs of Legionella reported in the literature, other than drinking water distribution systems. Levels of evidence were developed to discriminate between potential and confirmed sources of Legionella. A total of 17 systems and matrices could be classified as confirmed sources of Legionella. Many other man-made systems or natural matrices were not classified as a confirmed source, since either no patients were linked to these reservoirs or the supporting evidence was weak. However, these systems or matrices could play an important role in the transmission of infectious Legionella bacteria; they might not yet be considered in source investigations, resulting in an underestimation of their importance. To optimize source investigations it is important to have knowledge about all the (potential) sources of Legionella. Further research is needed to unravel what the contribution is of each confirmed source, and possibly also potential sources, to the LD disease burden.

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Section: Confirmed Legionella Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Environmental Science and Technologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Confirmed and Potential Sources of Legionella Reviewed

Heijnsbergen

Schalk

Euser

et al. 2015

Environ. Sci. Technol.

140

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“…Novější studie naznačují, že legionářská nemoc má dopad nejen na širokou veřejnost, ale i na aktivní obyvatelstvo, zejména na pracovníky údržby nebo techniky obsluhující klimatizace a vodní systémy (16). Prokázalo se, že legionelám byli vystaveni například zdravotničtí pracovníci (17,18), pracovníci v ropném a těžebním průmyslu (19,20), svářeči (21), řidiči (22), pracovníci v biologických čistírnách odpadních vod (23) a další.…”

Section: Diskuseunclassified

Microbial Findings of Legionellae in Industrial Technologies in the Czech Republic

Petrovová¹,

Drašar²,

Polcar³

2013

Hygiena

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Legionářská nemoc je akutní bakteriální plicní onemocnění se závažným průběhem a vysokou mortalitou. Z epidemiologického hlediska má původ v komunitním, cestovním, nemocničním nebo pracovním prostředí. Nejvýznamnější rezervoáry legionel pro expozici osob představují chladicí věže a odpařovací kondenzátory, dále centrálně řešené vytápění a chlazení moderních budov. Autoři prezentují výsledky mikrobiologických vyšetření vody na přítomnost legionel v technologiích průmyslu plastikářského, sklářského, z chladicích věží. Ve vazbě na tyto výsledky vyhodnocují možné zdravotní dopady na exponované pracovníky. Ve všech vyšetřovaných provozech byly legionely nalezeny, a to kmeny patogenní i saprofytické. Největší potenciál možného zdravotního rizika má Legionella pneumophila séroskupina 1, podskupina A-Pontiac. Riziko expozice pracovníků je relativně nízké při běžném provozu, významně narůstá při operacích údržby a oprav. Se zjištěnou kolonizací prostředí legionelami korespondují v České republice sporadické případy hlášených profesionálních onemocnění legionelózou. Posuzování profesionality tohoto onemocnění musí vycházet z kritérií epidemiologické surveillance s využitím moderních diagnostických a identifikačních metod. Klíčová slova: legionářská nemoc, nemoci z povolání, expozice biologickým činitelům SUMMARY Legionnaire's disease is an acute bacterial disease affecting the lungs, with severe course and high mortality rates. In epidemiological terms, the disease originates in communal, travel, hospital, or occupational environments. The most important potential reservoirs of Legionella causing human exposure are cooling towers and evaporative condensers, as well as central heating and cooling systems in modern buildings. The authors present the results of microbiological tests of water for the presence of Legionella in industrial technologies (plastic injection molding, glass and cooling towers) and their potential health effects on exposed workers. Pathogenic and saprophytic Legionella strains were found in all investigated plants. The highest potential health risks are connected to Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1, subgroup A-Pontiac. During normal operation the risk of occupational exposure is relatively low, but it significantly increases during repairs and maintenance operations. The environmental Legionella colonization found in the Czech Republic corresponds to sporadic cases of reported occupational cases of legionellosis. Assessment of whether the disease is to be defined as occupational or not has to be based on criteria of epidemiological surveillance using modern diagnostic and identification methods.

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“…Indeed, over the years, it has been documented that legionellosis occurs in many types of workers, specifically maintenance technicians of air-conditioning or water supply systems, dentists, workers in oil and gas installations, miners, welders, car washers, workers at biological treatment plants, land workers and workers in the forestry industry [16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23]. Nowadays, it is usually accepted that a predictable risk of exposure to Legionellae could be present in any situation characterized by a work activity using or storing water and where there is the possibility of creating and transmitting water droplets and aerosols that can be inhaled.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Presence of Legionella in Water Used for Car Washing: Implications for Public Health

Laganà,

Facciolà,

Palermo

et al. 2023

Microorganisms

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Although today all of the aspects of Legionella are better understood than in the past, in many countries the interest is still mainly focused on healthcare and tourism facilities. Other at-risk areas are less explored, such as those where workers are often in contact with water during their activities. In reality, any water system capable of producing aerosols can be considered a potential source of Legionella transmission, including car washes, where a large number of users work and flow through annually. From January to May 2022, 120 samples were carried out in 30 car washes located in Messina (Italy): 60 samples of water and 60 of aerosols. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the risk of legionellosis in car washing workers exposed to potentially contaminated aerosols. To increase the probability of finding Legionella, the sample collections were organized on different days of the week. Of the total samples taken, 10 (8.3%) were positive for Legionella: seven (11.7%) water (range 100–1000 CFU) and three (5%) aerosol (range 10–150 CFU) samples. Detected serogroups were L. pneumophila sgr 1, 7, 10 and Legionella gormanii. Given the results obtained, preventative measures should be implemented in such facilities in order to protect the health of users and car wash operators.

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Two linked cases of legionellosis with an unusual industrial source

Cited by 7 publications

References 1 publication

Confirmed and Potential Sources of Legionella Reviewed

Confirmed and Potential Sources of Legionella Reviewed

Microbial Findings of Legionellae in Industrial Technologies in the Czech Republic

The Presence of Legionella in Water Used for Car Washing: Implications for Public Health

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