Legionella

Legionella and Legionnaires’ Disease

Legionnaires’ disease is a respiratory disease attributed to a bacterium belonging to the genus Legionella. In some cases the bacteria can cause what is essentially a type of pneumonia or lung infection which is termed Legionnaire’s disease. In other instances the bacteria can cause a less serious but still troublesome infection called Pontiac Fever with symptoms analogous of a mild case of the flu. The most common form of Legionnaires’ disease associated with air-handling and water-cooling systems is Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1.

There is no recorded evidence of Legionellosis being passed from person to person. All documented evidence seems to suggest a person acquires Legionnaires disease through contact with environmental water habitats, particularly placings that intensify the growth of Legionella bacteria like those found in water-cooling systems including cooling-towers and evaporative condensers where water and air are used in combination.