Can Legionella Affect your Healthcare Facility?

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Here are 8 questions put out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that can help you assess your vulnerability

Legionella may not be a household word, but it certainly captured the attention of the public when it caused an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease that afflicted 221 attendees at the American Legion Convention in Philadelphia in 1976, and resulted in 34 deaths.

But what has that got to do with us today? As recently as July of 2015 there was an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease (LD) at a Long-Term Care Facility in central Ohio that resulted in six deaths. The Legionella bacterium that causes Legionnaires’ disease was traced back to a cooling tower at the facility.

While the bacterium occurs naturally in fresh water, it can contaminate hot water tanks, and cooling towers of large air conditioners. There is no vaccine against LD, but it can be prevented with proper maintenance of water systems associated with potable water and HVAC Systems.

If you own or are responsible for healthcare facilities in Ohio, Kentucky, or Indiana, the possibility of residents contracting LD is not a risk you want to take on. And again, with the proper maintenance of your HVAC systems, it’s not something you should have to worry about.

So how do you know if your facilities might be vulnerable? Here are eight questions put out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that can help you assess your vulnerability—and take steps to protect your residents (and your company). Half of the questions focus on your building/facility in general and half of them focus on your facility’s systems and devices. 1

Building Questions 1–4

  1. Is your building a healthcare facility where patients stay overnight or does your building house or treat people who have chronic and acute medical problems or weakened immune systems? Yes
/ No
  2. Does your building primarily house people older than 65 years (like a retirement home or assisted-living facility)? Yes
/ No
  3. Does your building have a centralized hot water system (like a hotel or high-rise apartment complex)? Yes
/ No
  4. Does your building have more than 10 stories (including basement levels)? Yes
/ No

If you answer YES to any of building questions 1 through 4, you should have a Legionella water management program for that building’s hot and cold-water distribution system.

Device Questions 5–8

Devices in buildings that can spread contaminated water droplets should have a water management program even if the building itself does not.

  1. Does your building have a cooling tower? Yes / No
  2. Does your building have a hot tub (also known as a spa) that is not drained between each use?  Yes / No
  3. Does your building have a decorative fountain? Yes / No
  4. Does your building have a centrally installed mister, atomizer, air washer, or humidifier?  Yes / No

If you answer NO to all of questions 1 through 4, but YES to any of the questions 5 through 8, then you should have a Legionella water management program for that device.

A well-maintained HVAC system is about more than efficient and effective heating and cooling of your healthcare facility. It’s also a key factor in ensuring the health, well-being, comfort, and safety of your residents and staff. That’s good for the people for whom you’re responsible—and it’s also good for your bottom line.

1 Source: http://www.cdc.gov/legionella/maintenance/wmp-risk.html