LEGIONNAIRES DISEASE
Over 200 delegates of the American Legion attending a Philadelphia convention in 1976 were afflicted with pneumonia and 34 of them died. Six months after the out break, investigators from the Centre For Disease Control in Atlanta isolated bacteria from the lung tissue of men who had died from what by then had come to be known as Legionnaires Disease.
Legionella Pneumophillia turned out to be an aquatic organism widely distributed in the environment and found in many lakes and river systems. Legionella are relatively resistant to chlorine and easily find their way into the drinking water. Hot water systems are particularly preferred by the Legionella organisms and they like to live in water heated to between 30 and 40 degrees. Strangely enough few Legionella can be found in the water itself. They lodge and multiply in the scale within hot water pipes which is composed of mineral residue and other organic detritus.
Both hospital hot water systems, which are usually very large and air-conditioner cooling towers favour the growth of Legionella. As a result outbreaks have occurred in hospitals, as well as hotels and shopping malls.
Legionnaire's Pneumonia presents with a fever, headache, malaise, cough and chest pain. X-rays show patchy lung infiltrates; although the bacteria never show on normal laboratory tests as they live inside infected cells and need special techniques to be identified. Once the diagnosis is made, Legionella can be adequately treated with Erythromycin, which is an antibiotic that has the capacity to pass through the biological barriers thrown up by the human cell wall.
Home Remedies
Although families with children are advised to keep the temperature of hot water systems below 40 degrees to prevent scalding accidents; hot water systems need to be kept at 60 degrees to kill Legionella Pneumophillia. It is worth noting that Legionella often affects older people with pre existing lung damage. These people could do themselves a favour by turning up their hot water systems without endangering children. Families with young children are better advised to leave their hot water systems turned down.
The recent identification of Legionella in the soil and potting mixtures is food for further thought. Many species of bacteria can enter the body through the soil, contaminating cuts and the inhalation of aerosol material could also be a further factor in the spread of Legionella. Even though the disease is very uncommon in gardeners, the use of gardening gloves is advisable, especially in the wet season.
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GENERAL HEALTH
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