Legionella is a potentially fatal bacteria naturally found in water and water systems. At suitable water temperatures and with the right micro-environment legionella bacteria can flourish.
Given the right conditions, Legionella will reproduce to quantities sufficient to infect and cause Legionnaire's disease. Legionnaires’ disease is caused by the inhalation of contaminated aerosolised water.
Legionella bacteria are also the causative agent of other medical issues including Pontiac fever and Lochgoilhead fever.
Common sources of Legionella bacteria include water tanks, domestic hot-water systems, cooling towers, fountains, showers and similar systems that tap into a public water supply.
Legionnaires’ Disease has a number of indicative and unpleasant symptoms including initial symptoms such as:
- mild headaches
- muscle pain
- high temperature
- chills
- tiredness
- changes in mental state, such as confusion
Once bacteria begin to infect the lungs, sufferers may also experience pneumonia like symptoms
such as a cough – which is usually dry at first, but as the infection develops, may start coughing up phlegm or, occasionally , blood
- shortness of breath
- chest pains
Cases of Legionnaires in England and Wales usually peak between July and September. This can be attributed to the fact that the ambient temperatures are more condusive to legionella bacteria thriving, and often during this time, many people are away from their homes which means the water is not turning over in the system, proving a stable environment for the bacteria to multiply.
Legionnaires’ disease is a Notifiable Disease. This means that if a doctor diagnoses the condition, they must tell the local authority under The Health Protection (Notification) Regulations 2010.
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