NEW YORK, July 25 (Our New York News) — Legionnaires’ disease is a serious kind of pneumonia, but the CDC says it is not usually spread from person to person and it is not spread by drinking water. The main risk comes from breathing in tiny water droplets that contain Legionella bacteria, which can grow in some building water systems.
For most people, that means the biggest daily concern is not hand-to-hand contact. It is the water systems around buildings, especially cooling towers. New York City health officials said the outbreak linked to Harlem was tied to cooling towers, not to a building’s plumbing system, according to Mount Sinai. City officials have also said buildings with cooling towers are part of the problem because the bacteria can spread in mist from those systems.
What is Legionnaires’ disease?
Legionnaires’ disease is caused by Legionella bacteria, the CDC says. The bacteria grow best in warm water, with CDC guidance citing a range of about 77 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit. Reported sources of exposure include cooling towers, hot tubs, spas, humidifiers, fountains, hot water tanks and plumbing systems.
What symptoms should people watch for?
The CDC says symptoms usually begin a few days after exposure, often within about 2 to 14 days. Common symptoms include cough, shortness of breath, fever, muscle aches and headache. Some reports also list nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, confusion, fatigue, loss of appetite and kidney injury. Because the illness can look like the flu at first, city health officials have urged people with flu-like symptoms to get medical attention promptly.
Who faces the highest risk?
The CDC says adults 50 and older are at higher risk, along with smokers, people with chronic lung disease and people with weakened immune systems. Clinicians quoted in CBS News and Mount Sinai also pointed to other chronic illnesses as risk factors. That does not mean younger or healthier people cannot get sick, but public-health guidance says the risk is higher in those groups.
Why does early treatment matter?
The CDC says Legionnaires’ disease can be effectively treated with antibiotics. Dr. Aaron Glatt, quoted by CBS News, said early diagnosis is important because prompt treatment can make the disease much less likely to become fatal. That is why health officials stress testing and treatment early when someone has a suspicious fever, cough or breathing problem after possible exposure.
How do cities and buildings try to stop it?
New York City’s rules for cooling towers require them to be registered, tested, cleaned and disinfected, with remediation after a positive test. City Council regulations passed in 2015 after a prior outbreak set up those requirements. CDC guidance says comprehensive water management programs, cleaning and disinfecting cooling towers, preventing stagnant water and keeping water temperatures and disinfectant levels under control can help prevent outbreaks.
The CDC has said water management is one of the main ways to prevent outbreaks, because the disease usually starts in building systems, not in everyday contact between people. That is also why experts focus on building maintenance as much as they focus on symptoms.
For a typical New Yorker, the practical takeaway is simple: know the symptoms, understand that the illness is tied to water systems rather than casual contact, and seek medical care quickly if flu-like illness or breathing trouble appears after possible exposure. Public-health officials say early action can make a big difference.
