An epidemic of legionellosis worries, in the south-east of Poland. The toll of contamination in the city of Rzeszow has worsened. There are now eleven fatal victims among the 144 cases, local health authorities announced on Monday. Those who died ranged in age from 64 to 95, all suffering from other chronic illnesses.
Legionella is a bacterium that grows in domestic hot water networks and causes serious respiratory problems. “We are looking for the source of contamination. Contamination of the hot and cold water supply network is currently being considered,” said Adam Sidor, the regional health inspector.
Respiratory contamination
According to the first test results, the presence of the Legionella bacteria was confirmed at different levels in half of the first 18 water samples examined. A total of 105 samples were taken. “This does not allow us for the moment to affirm that the water supply system is the source of contamination. The next few days will be decisive,” said the health inspector.
During the weekend, the authorities of Rzeszow, a city of around 200,000 inhabitants, undertook additional disinfection work throughout the network. Contamination can occur through the respiratory route by inhaling the bacteria, through water or air conditioning. The disease is not transmitted between people.
The infection, whose incubation lasts from two to ten days, takes its name from the first known epidemic, which occurred in 1976 in a hotel in Philadelphia (United States), where a conference of the American Legion was held, the main veterans association in the country.