Legionella
E-news -- 29 May 2002
**IN
THIS ISSUE**
1. Misting System Blamed for 100 Cases of Pontiac Fever
2. Legionella Seminar in New York City
3. Ulm Conference Papers to be Available Online
*******************************************************************
1. MISTING SYSTEM BLAMED FOR 100 CASES OF PONTIAC FEVER
*******************************************************************
Misting systems have become popular in dry climate regions, emitting a
fine spray along walkways of major hotels, at outdoor restaurants, and around
home patios. The devices provide conditions that seem perfect for
legionellae growth and transmission: small plastic tubing (conducive to
biofilm growth) that's typically exposed to sunlight, stagnation while
the system's off at night, low flow rates, and efficient aerosolization
of small water particles.
A
misting system used for the décor at a rainforest-theme restaurant was
recently blamed for 100 cases of Pontiac fever (reported in The
Tennessean, Friday, 10 May 2002), a flulike illness caused by
Legionella. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
confirmed that 100 individuals contracted Pontiac fever after dining at
the restaurant on or around 19 April 2002.
The
water misting system was suspected after food poisoning and
person-to-person transmission were both ruled out. The CDC confirmed
that legionellae were found in the misting system, but the news report
did not state whether the Legionella strains matched those found in
patients.
The
health department shut down the restaurant's misting system, but agreed
that it could be turned back on after disinfection. The department plans
to continue routine testing of the chlorine residual.
According
to the restaurant chief executive officer, the owners had been flushing
the water system with chlorine, so they were puzzled that it did not
work. [Editor's note: Chlorine may not be effective in this system
because small plastic tubing is very conducive to biofilm growth. At low
levels of 1-2 ppm, chlorine will not sufficiently penetrate biofilm.--mrf]
*******************************************************************
2.
LEGIONELLA SEMINAR IN NEW YORK CITY
*******************************************************************
There's still time to register for the Legionella Prevention Training
Course to be held 5-6 June 2002 at the Wyndham Garden Hotel LaGuardia
Airport in New York City. Current and complete information on the
seminar is posted at http://hcinfo.com/legionellaseminar.htm. For other
questions, telephone 1-800-801-8050 (1-760-494-3063 outside the USA and
Canada), or e-mail hcinfo@hcinfo.com.
"A
very informative seminar...presentation was great." Juan Salazar,
hospital director of plant operations
"I
would recommend this to all of my colleagues!" Joe Russell,
President, Watertech of America Inc., Hales Corners, Wisc.
*******************************************************************
3. ULM CONFERENCE PAPERS TO BE AVAILABLE ONLINE
*******************************************************************
Because of a special licensing arrangement between HC Information
Resources Inc. and ASM Press (American Society for Microbiology), each
chapter of ASM's book _Legionella_, edited by Richard Marre et al, will
be available online at hcinfo.com around 20 June 2002. The 85 chapters,
each of which is a paper presented at the International Conference on
Legionella held September 2000 in Ulm, Germany, will be accessible
individually for US$6 each.
*******************************************************************
*******************************************************************
*******************************************************************
(c)
Copyright 2002, HC Information Resources Inc. You have permission to
send this newsletter to others, post it on your web site, or include it
in listserv posts, under the strict condition that you include the
following notice to properly credit the source: "Excerpted from
Legionella E-news, a free e-newsletter available at http://hcinfo.com."
THANK
YOU!
Matt
Freije, Editor
HC Information Resources Inc.
Tel: 760-494-3063
Fax: 619-839-3166
hcinfo@hcinfo.com
http://hcinfo.com
|
