The number of cases of legionnaires’ disease more than doubled in August this year, a dramatic rise that has health experts scratching their heads. While they can’t seem to pinpoint an exact cause, most seem to think the increase in cases is due to a combination of factors.
There is of course, the aging population to consider, as well as more awareness of the disease and better diagnostic tools available. Finally, as if it were an afterthought, many experts also believe environmental factors may be playing a role in the increase in cases.
In a telephone interview with Fox News, Dr. Matthew Moore, a medical epidemiologist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said, “Whether that increase represents a true increase in disease or something else, we don’t fully understand yet.”
The Dr. Moore interviewed by Fox News is the same medical expert quoted by NBC News three days ago in Digital Journal as saying, regardless of the present situation, disease activity this summer is pretty much “par for the course.”
So far this summer, Legionnaires’ disease has killed 12 people in New York City’s Bronx, and eight people in a Quincy Veterans Home in Illinois. Additionally, over 51 inmates in California’s San Quentin State Prison have been placed under observation for the pneumonia-like disease.
In August, MSNBC reported on a recent study, published in the September/October issue of the Journal of Public Health Management Practice that showed the incidence of Legionnaires’ disease has more than tripled since 2001. Furthermore, the study also suggests that as a nation, we are ill-prepared to deal with a far greater outbreak of the disease.
That study, as well as one done earlier this year, suggests the prevalence of legionnaires’ disease worldwide suggests it has become a global problem, possibly related to global climate change. CDC spokesman David Daigle said the CDC’s Sept. 4 weekly report on death and disease showed there were 404 cases of Legionellosis — Legionnaires’ and a related disease called Pontiac Fever in the four weeks ending August 29, 2015.
Legionnaires’ disease in Canada
In Canada, The Public Health Agency says that about 100 cases of Legionnaires’ or Pontiac Fever are reported every year. But the figures quoted by the health agency don’t add up with the facts. While writing this story, a report said health officials confirmed three cases in a Halifax apartment building, in addition to the two latest cases in New Brunswick
In Berthierville, northeast of Montreal, as of August 20, two people have died and another 16 people are being treated for legionnaires’ disease. Regardless of the numbers here and there in the U.S. and Canada, there has been an increase in the number of cases of this pneumonia-like disease.
Between 1995 and 2005, over 32,000 cases of Legionnaires’ disease and more than 600 outbreaks were reported to the European Working Group for Legionella Infections (EWGLI) in London, UK.
The EWGLI, along with its counterparts in other developed countries, agree that the number of cases of Legionnaires’ disease is vastly under-reported. The agency has also taken under consideration the many environmental studies that have been done on Legionnaires’ disease and the impact of a warming climate on the prevalence of the bacteria.
Dr. Moore does not discount that a warming climate is playing a role in the rise in the number of outbreaks of Legionella. He notes the research appears to indicate increased rainfall could be the reason behind the increase in cases.
A few tips for being proactive in protecting yourself
But the thing people are forgetting is this: We all can be proactive, in our homes and apartments, or the workplace. It requires a little diligence and even some elbow-grease, but the health and safety you get is a good reward. Know what kind of heating and cooling system your residence uses. Make sure maintenance is done on a yearly basis, including disinfecting water towers.
Hot water faucets that aren’t used on a daily basis should be turned on and flushed out at least once a week, particularly in the summer. Turn the tap on and step outside the room and close the door. If using nebulizers and humidifiers, only use pre-boiled water or distilled water in the tanks. Clean and sanitize them regularly.
If using a spa or gym pool, ask how they sanitize the facilities. Remember it is your health that is at stake. When traveling and staying in hotels, cruise ships or the like, ask how the air-conditioning is serviced and how often. And just a reminder, smoking doesn’t help if you do get sick.
