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Health Care Facilities in Puerto Rico Take Note of CDC’s Legionnaires’ Disease Prevention Bulletin

Zimmetry Environmental provides testing and monitoring services to identify Legionella and other microbial pathogens to protect patients and the public.


Bayamon, Puerto Rico – WEBWIRE

Exposure to Legionella sources in health care environments is a particularly serious concern as the CDC reports that the disease kills 25% of those patients who contract it from a health care facility.

Earlier this month, the June edition of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Vitalsigns™ publication was released. This issue was dedicated to raising awareness of patients developing Legionnaires’ disease in health care facilities and ways to prevent this from occurring in the first place.
 
Legionnaires’ disease is caused by breathing in mist from a water source contaminated with a types of bacteria known as Legionella. Exposure to Legionella sources in health care environments is a particularly serious concern as the CDC reports that the disease kills 25% of those patients who contract it from a health care facility. The agency also reports that about 80% of problems leading to U.S. health care-associated outbreaks could be prevented with effective water management programs.
 
One of principal suggestions from the CDC to prevent new cases of Legionnaires’ disease in health care facilities is for medical providers to build a team to focus on keeping the facility’s water safe by creating and using a water management program. Components of a water management program may have multiple goals, including:

  • Keeping hot water temperatures high enough
  • Making sure disinfectant amounts are correct
  • Keeping water flowing (preventing stagnation)
  • Operating and maintaining equipment to prevent slime (biofilm), organic debris and corrosion
  • Monitoring factors external to buildings, such as construction, water main breaks and changes in municipal water quality


 
“A key part of a water management program listed by the CDC is identifying areas where Legionella could grow and spread,” said Harry Pena, President of Zimmetry Environmental.  “This is accomplished by understanding building water systems and proactive monitoring to prevent this deadly disease from infecting people.”
 
In Puerto Rico and across the Caribbean, Zimmetry Environmental provides consulting services to develop and manage water management programs for health care providers. They offer Legionella testing services that are an essential part of a proactive plan and can also help to pinpoint the source of an outbreak if one has already occurred.  
 
To learn more about Zimmetry’s air, water, environmental, occupational, and compliance testing and consulting services, please visit www.zimmetry.com, call (787) 995.0005 or email info@zimmetry.com .
 
About Zimmetry Environmental
Since 2002, Zimmetry Environmental has been providing environmental consulting services to building owners and managers, architects, engineers, EHS professionals and Fortune 500 companies.  The company is based in Puerto Rico and provides services across the Caribbean and Central America.  The professionals at Zimmetry offer environmental compliance, indoor air quality, asbestos, lead-based paint, Phase I ESAs and general environmental consulting services.


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 Legionella
 Legionnaires’ Disease
 Pontiac Fever
 Puerto Rico
 EHS


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