Legionnaires Disease

Covers the health risks associated with legionella disease and looks at how it can spread in your workplace.Legionnaires’ disease is a potentially fatal form of lung infection. It’s usually caught by breathing in small droplets of contaminated water.It was first identified following a large outbreak of pneumonia among people who attended an Americanconvention in 1976. A previously unrecognised bacteria was traced to the air conditioning system. 221 people were affected resulting in 34 deaths.Legionella bacteria is usually found, often in harmlessly low numbers, in sources of water, such as ponds, rivers and lakes.The bacteria can rapidly multiply if they find their way into artificial water supply systems, such as air conditioning systems.