An additional case of legionellosis, or Legionnaires’ disease, has been reported in the Baltimore, Maryland outbreak that originated, allegedly, from the senior living complex of an apartment building. This brings the total number of Legionnaires’ disease cases to six, with five still ill and one individual deceased. A Philadelphia-based company that specializes in treating legionella-infected buildings has been hired to clean the apartment complex’s water and ventilation systems. In the meantime, residents have been given the option of moving out of their apartments without forfeiting their security deposits. Officials are hoping the spread of the disease has been contained now that they system is being treated. In addition, the apartment’s management company is providing surgical masks for residents to wear, which may help mitigate additional infections.

A Legionnaires’ disease outbreak at an apartment complex in Baltimore, Maryland has left four individuals sick and one person dead. The outbreak occurred in the senior living facility of an apartment complex. The four people who have fallen ill are currently recovering. The apartment complex’s management first became aware of the disease’s presence on October 5th, 2009 when the family of the deceased notified them of the death. The management has notified all 400 of the building’s residents of the bacteria’s presence and is monitoring for early signs of any additional cases. Legionella, the bacteria responsible for causing Legionnaires’ disease, a deadly form of pneumonia, is most often found in warm water sources, such as hot water tanks and ventilation units. The disease is contracted through inhaling water droplets which contain the bacteria. The exact source of the legionella bacteria in the Baltimore apartment building has yet to be confirmed. State officials will soon begin testing water sources for the presence of legionella.

For the upcoming winter season many money-saving resources are advising individuals to lower the thermostat temperature on their home’s water heater. One such resource advises readers to lower the standard temperature of 140° F to 120° F. While this will save you money during the upcoming cold months due to decreased energy usage, it may also be a hidden and deadly risk. By lowering your water heater’s temperature from a safe temperature of 140° F you are creating a perfect environment for bacteria to grow and multiply. This is especially true for legionella, the bacteria that causes the deadly form of pneumonia known as Legionnaires’ disease. Legionella is a common bacteria and once it has entered a water system it can easily spread throughout the entire system putting the home’s residents at risk for Legionnaires’ disease. While Legionnaires’ disease is only contracted through inhalation of the bacteria, this can occur during many common uses of a home’s water system, such as showering and washing dishes. For this reason it is important to maintain a water heater temperature of 140° F, the minimum temperature required to kill the bacteria. Some may argue that this puts water users at risk for scalding due to high water temperature. This problem, however, can be remedied through the installation of a device known as a mixing valve, which mixes cold water with the hot water as its being used to create a safer hot water temperature.

A Bethlehem, PA university worker has recently been diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease, the deadly form of pneumonia. So far, this is an isolated case, with only the one worker having a confirmed diagnosis. Students, staff, and faculty were notified of the incident as soon as the worker’s case was confirmed according to the University. The University immediately tested their heating and cooling system and water system after the diagnosis was reported. The water system tested clean, however, the HVAC system test came back positive for the presence of legionella, the bacteria that causes the disease. The ventilation system was shut down and cleaned thoroughly, reports indicate. It is currently up and running again.