The Rzeszów Health Department has confirmed 51 cases of Legionnaires’ disease, and more patients with fever and cough are coming to hospitals. The reason is infection with the bacterium Legionella Pneumophila. However, its source is unknown.
On August 18, the poviat state health inspector in Rzeszow reported 15 confirmed cases of Legionella Pneumophila infection. The communiqué of 22 August already mentions 51 cases. These are residents of Rzeszow and its environs, the source of infection is still being established.
Legionellosis in Rzeszow – more and more people go to hospitals
- At the moment we have 16 people diagnosed with legionellosis, 11 people are hospitalized, but their condition is stable. We are testing 12 more people, - says Tomasz Warhol, a representative of the Voivodeship Clinical Hospital No. 2 named after. St. Queen Jadwiga in Rzeszow. As he emphasizes, patients are people of all ages: children, adults, and the elderly. “However, all of them have comorbidities,” says Tomasz Warhol.
Patients report the most characteristic symptoms of legionellosis, namely cough and fever. On Tuesday, all fountains in Rzeszow were turned off as a preventive measure, although preliminary conversations with patients show that they are not a source of infection. - Each patient is interviewed in detail by the sanitary supervision staff. They are still looking for the source, it is difficult, because we are talking about patients not only from Rzeszow, but also from other cities, the hospital representative emphasizes.
At the moment, positive tests for the presence of bacteria have been found in 37 residents of Rzeszow, 9 in the Rzeszow district, 3 in the Dembitsky district, and one each from the Ropchiko-Sendziszow and Nizhansky districts. According to Jaromir Slenczka, state sanitary inspector of the county in Rzeszow, “an epidemiological investigation is underway to determine the source of the infection and other anti-epidemic measures, including checks and collection of water for laboratory research.”
How can you get Legionella pneumophila?
Legionnaires’ disease (legionellosis) can even lead to respiratory failure and death. It develops as a result of infection with the bacterium Legionella Pneumophila. The family of gram-negative aerobic bacteria of the genus Legionella includes about 50 species of bacteria of various virulence. Legionella Pneumophila is the most dangerous member of this family, causing acute pneumonia.
Infection occurs by airborne droplets - bacteria enter the human body by inhalation of water aerosol. Transmission through food (eg drinking water) is rare but possible. Infection through open wounds is also possible, for example, during surgical interventions, but in Rzeszow we do not deal with nosocomial infections.
It is important to note that Legionella Pneumophila is not a reservoir for humans or animals. Legionnaires’ disease and other diseases caused by gram-negative aerobic rods. they are not transmitted from person to person.
Most often, bacteria find good living conditions in fountains, pools, water curtains, spas, and humidification systems such as home humidifiers or air conditioning systems. The most common sources of infection are running water systems and improperly cleaned humidification and air conditioning systems.
Source: Wprost
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