PHO Rounds: Legionella Outbreak Investigations: A Practical Approach, Part III

Legionella is a bacteria that resides in the environment, usually contracted by inhalation of contaminated aerosolized water from human-made water systems. Exposure can result in Pontiac fever, a self-limited flu-like illness or Legionnaires’ disease, a severe form of pneumonia. This three-part series provides a practical overview of public health investigations of legionellosis, including assessment of the epidemiology, potential environmental sources, appropriate clinical and environmental testing, and environmental control and remediation.

Part 3 described a cooling tower-associated outbreak investigated by Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, lessons learned and approaches used to communicate with the public.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Describe how to do an environmental risk assessment of a cooling tower including the evaluation of bacteria control maintenance programs.
• Discuss the value and interpretation of various environmental testing protocols when investigating Legionella outbreaks.
• Describe potential interventions and communication strategies during a community Legionella outbreak.

Presenter(s): Dr. Colin Q-T Lee and Karen Kivilahti