What causes Legionella in water?

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asked Feb 24, 2022 in Diseases Conditions by 77asee87 (1,250 points)
What causes Legionella in water?

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answered Mar 6, 2022 by Gracy (125,580 points)
Legionella in water is caused by the water getting the Legionella bacteria in the water.

People can get Legionnaires' disease or Pontiac fever when they breathe in small droplets of water in the air that contain the bacteria.

Less commonly, people can get sick by aspiration of drinking water containing Legionella.

This happens when water accidentally goes into the lungs while drinking.

To test for legionnaires in water you take water samples and then have them tested for the Legionnaires bacteria.

You must identify 'sentinel' outlets (furthest and closest to each tank or cylinder) for monthly checking of the distribution temperatures.

You should also check the hot water storage cylinder temperatures every month and cold water tank temperatures at least every six months.

Stagnant water favors Legionella growth.

The first signs of Legionnaires disease include, cough, shortness of breath, fever, headaches and muscle aches.

On the third day you may experience other symptoms such as.

Cough, which might bring up mucus and sometimes blood.
Shortness of breath.
Chest pain.
Gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Confusion or other mental changes.

The people who are at most risk for getting Legionnaires disease are older adults, people with a weakened immune system and smokers.

People over the age of 50 are more at risk than younger people, and males are more at risk for Legionnaires disease than females.

Effective antibiotic treatment is available if the diagnosis is made early in the illness.

To prevent and reduce the risk of Legionnaires disease at home you should remove dead legs/dead ends in pipe-work, flush out infrequently used outlets (including shower heads and taps) at least weekly and clean and de-scale shower heads and hoses at least quarterly.

Legionnaires disease does not go away on it's own without treatment and without treatment legionnaires disease can easily become fatal.

Legionella bacterium also causes Pontiac fever, a milder illness resembling the flu.

The Pontiac fever usually clears on its own, but untreated Legionnaires' disease can be fatal.

Although with prompt treatment with antibiotics Legionnaires' disease is usually cured easily, some people continue to have problems after treatment.

Legionella can kill you if it causes more severe complications or is left untreated.

About 1 out of every 10 people who gets sick with Legionnaires' disease will die due to complications from their illness.

For those who get Legionnaires' disease during a stay in a healthcare facility, about 1 out of every 4 will die.

Legionnaires' disease is a severe form of pneumonia lung inflammation usually caused by infection.

It's caused by a bacterium known as legionella.

Most people catch Legionnaires' disease by inhaling the bacteria from water or soil.

Legionnaires' disease is a type of pneumonia caused by legionella bacteria.

Legionnaires' disease doesn't spread from person to person. Instead, the bacteria spreads through mist, such as from air-conditioning units for large buildings.

Adults over the age of 50 and people with weak immune systems, chronic lung disease, or heavy tobacco use are most at risk.

Many people exposed to the bacteria don't develop symptoms.

Those who do develop symptoms may experience cough, fever, chills, shortness of breath, muscle aches, headaches, and diarrhea.

Legionnaire's disease can be treated with antibiotics.

Legionnaires disease can be cured if caught and treated soon enough.

Most cases of Legionnaires disease can be cured through the use of antibiotics which kill of the bacteria in your body that causes the Legionnaires disease.

When you Legionnaires disease the Legionnaires usually takes up to 10 days to develop once you get it.

So you may not show any signs or symptoms of the Legionnaires disease until 10 days later.

If you're a smoker you have a higher risk of developing Legionnaires disease than someone who does not smoke.

Some signs and symptoms of Legionnaires disease are headaches, muscle aches, fever, shortness of breath and cough.

People usually get Legionnaires disease when they have been in contact and have been exposed to the bacteria that causes the Legionnaires disease.

It's most common to get Legionnaires disease from a shower that has the bacteria in it.

So make sure you keep your shower clean and disinfected to prevent the possibility of getting Legionnaires disease.

By the second or third day of developing the disease you might also experience symptoms such as Cough, which might bring up mucus and sometimes blood.

Chest pain may also occur as well as thing such as Confusion or other mental change as well as Gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

If you think you or someone has Legionnaires disease you need medical attention because when Legionnaires disease is left untreated it can be fatal.

Bleach and hot water are very effective at killing off the Legionella bacteria.

According to studies from scientists hot water and bleach is lethal enough to kill Legionella bacteria.

It's a good idea to scrub down surfaces with bleach and hot water often especially when you have the cold or flu to help keep germs and other viruses killed off.

And by doing so you also help to get rid of and kill Legionella bacteria.

To prevent the growth of Legionella bacteria in your shower you should wipe the shower down with bleach and hot water and soak the shower head in some vinegar or bleach and hot water to allow the bacteria to be killed off.

As long as you keep your shower clean you shouldn't get any of the Legionnaires disease from the bacteria.

But if you do get Legionnaires disease you should go to the emergency room or urgent care because if left untreated Legionnaires disease can be fatal as it's a severe form of pneumonia.

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