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As New York City continues to investigate an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease that has claimed multiple lives and sickened dozens of people, doctors say there are ways people can reduce the risk of exposure.
As of July 21, there have been five deaths and 82 diagnoses linked to the Upper East Side outbreak, according to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Eight patients remain hospitalized.
Health officials said no new cases had been reported in the previous six days, suggesting the source of exposure has likely been eliminated, although the investigation remains ongoing.
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Legionnaires’ disease is a serious type of pneumonia that is typically spread by tiny water droplets containing Legionella bacteria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Sources of exposure
Common sources of infection include contaminated building water systems, such as cooling towers (large structures that remove heat from water used in building cooling systems), hot tubs or plumbing. Cases have also been reported on cruise ships and in spas. It is not generally spread from person to person, according to the CDC.
“We get infected when it gets aerosolized in the water droplets, usually, and we breathe those droplets in,” Dr. Dana Mordue, associate professor of pathology, microbiology and immunology at New York Medical College, told Fox News Digital.
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“You can also get infected if you have water that’s been contaminated, and you aspirate it and swallow it into your lungs, but most often you get it from air droplets that are contaminated from various types of water sources.”
Although it is possible to contract Legionnaires’ in the home, outbreaks are almost always linked to exposure to water droplets coming from a water system in a “commercial-type building,” according to Mordue.
“The good news is you usually don’t get it from the types of cooling systems that we have in our cars or our homes. But if you don’t clean your humidifiers, technically any water source can get contaminated with Legionella.”
Symptoms and treatment
The most widespread symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease include cough, shortness of breath, fever, muscle aches and headaches, according to the CDC. Some people may also experience diarrhea, nausea and confusion.
Symptoms typically begin two to 14 days after exposure to the bacteria, although they can appear later. The illness often requires treatment with antibiotics.
“The mortality rate is not particularly high for this disease if you are immune-competent and young and healthy,” said Mordue.
Risk is higher for older adults, smokers and people with compromised immune systems, “a lot of the same risk factors you might see for COVID,” the doctor noted.
Ways to prevent spread
The CDC shares the following measures to prevent the spread of Legionnaires’ disease.
- Maintain building water systems. Comprehensive water management programs can prevent Legionella bacteria from growing in cooling towers, plumbing systems, hot tubs and other building water systems. The CDC estimates that nearly nine in 10 outbreaks could have been prevented with more effective water management.
- Clean and disinfect cooling towers. These structures should be routinely cleaned, monitored and disinfected to control bacteria growth, health officials recommend.
- Prevent stagnant water. Maintaining proper water flow and flushing any pipes that are infrequently used can help prevent Legionella from multiplying.
- Maintain proper water temperature and disinfectant levels. As Legionella is known to grow best in warm water (about 77°F to 113°F), maintaining appropriate temperatures and adequate disinfectant levels helps limit bacterial growth, the CDC says.
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For anyone who may have been exposed and developed symptoms, it is important to seek immediate medical care, doctors say. Early diagnosis and antibiotic treatment can reduce the risk of severe illness.
“If you have certain risk factors, particularly advanced age, get help as quickly as you can,” Mordue advised.
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