legionaires disease

[edyle]

Noticed there's been reports of legionaires disease showing up in New York, and by the sounds of it, it might be something vapers might want to take note of:

Summary
Legionnaires' disease is a type of pneumonia caused by bacteria. You usually get it by breathing in mist from water that contains the bacteria. The mist may come from hot tubs, showers, or air-conditioning units for large buildings. The bacteria don't spread from person to person.
Symptoms of Legionnaires' disease include high fever, chills, a cough, and sometimes muscle aches and headaches. Other types of pneumonia have similar symptoms. You will probably need a chest x-ray to diagnose the pneumonia. Lab tests can detect the specific bacteria that cause Legionnaires' disease.
Most people exposed to the bacteria do not become sick. You are more likely to get sick if you

• Are older than 50
• Smoke
• Have a chronic lung disease
• Have a weak immune system

Legionnaires' disease is serious and can be life-threatening. However, most people recover with antibiotic treatment.

Kinda gives me a reason to remember to give my toppers a wash more often.

 

[TyPie]

Gotta be honest here. I believe the cause of Legionniare's disease is very well known and understood by now. What I can't even comprehend, is why in the world heating and cooling systems in residential and commercial buildings that hold standing water that sits around for weeks and months at a time have not been re-designed at this point, and why those still in service are not required to be regularly inspected and cleaned.

(I know, I know......it's due to the expense.) But standing water in heating and cooling systems has generally been the source of the deadly bacteria.

 

[xtwosm0kesx]

Just got back from NYC where this was all over the news.

Considering there are only a hundred or so cases with around 10-12 deaths (as of yesterday) in a city of ~9million, its something to be aware of, but not really something that i think people (especially outside the effected boroughs) should be concerned about.

Regarding the cooling systems, the way they described it on the news, those systems are 100% closed circuit and the residents/building occupants have absolutely no way to come into contact with the water in the system unless they are directly servicing it. (Though i do agree theres no reason to no inspect/clean them regularly.

 

[Mooch]

Just got back from NYC where this was all over the news.

Considering there are only a hundred or so cases with around 10-12 deaths (as of yesterday) in a city of ~9million, its something to be aware of, but not really something that i think people (especially outside the effected boroughs) should be concerned about.

Regarding the cooling systems, the way they described it on the news, those systems are 100% closed circuit and the residents/building occupants have absolutely no way to come into contact with the water in the system unless they are directly servicing it. (Though i do agree theres no reason to no inspect/clean them regularly.

Yea, a lot of us here in NYC are pretty ...... off that these cooling systems aren't cleaned/disinfected regularly.

The systems are closed-circuit, but not fully enclosed. The water is sprayed/dripped down in the cooling towers on the roof and very powerful fans blow air thru the streams of water to cool them. This pulls off a lot of the water as a mist, carrying the Legionella bacteria a long distance where it can be breathed in by anyone on the street, in their home, etc.