Legionnaires’ Disease Discovered at a California Nursing Home

A resident from a California nursing home tested positive for Legionnaires’ disease. A local news station reported that the facility shut off access to the water supply under the direction of state and local health officials as well as supplied bottled water and ordered new shower heads after Legionella species were identified in multiple areas of the nursing home.

Legionella bacteria is found naturally in the environment and in man-made environments, usually in water. Past outbreaks have been associated with cooling towers, water fountains, hot tubs and plumbing systems and the bacteria is contracted by being inhaled, also known as aspirated. Legionnaires’ disease, a potentially fatal form of pneumonia, is caused by an infection of the lungs with Legionella. Symptoms for Legionnaires’ disease may include fever, extreme fatigue, chills, coughing, diarrhea and/or cognitive impairment.

“Legionnaires’ disease is commonly found in the elderly and those with compromised immune systems,” said Christopher Goulah, Ph.D., Legionella Technical Manager at LA Testing’s parent company, EMSL Analytical, Inc. “It’s important to begin remediation efforts on potential outbreak sources immediately in order to prevent any other individuals from getting sick, especially in a case such as this where the water source in question is in a nursing home.”

LA Testing and its parent company, EMSL, have 16 CDC ELITE laboratories throughout the United States and Canada that are even equipped to handle large projects caused by Legionella outbreaks. The laboratories provide Culture Testing, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), Sequence-Based Typing and Whole Genome Sequencing for Legionella outbreak identification. For more information about the difference between culture and molecular testing, please contact Christopher Goulah, Ph.D., at (716) 651-0030 extension 1407.

EMSL created a Legionella Pocket Guide that has detailed information about the bacteria and sampling techniques. To request a free copy, please click here.

For more information about LA Testing’s Legionella testing capabilities, please visit www.LegionellaTesting.com. To view a complete list of the laboratory locations, accreditations and capabilities, please visit www.LATesting.com. For more information about LA Testing’s laboratory services, please email  info@LATesting.com  or call 1-800-303-0047.  

About LA Testing

LA Testing is California’s leading laboratory for air quality testing of asbestos, mold, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash and smoke damage, particulates and other chemicals. In addition, LA Testing offers a full range of air sampling and investigative equipment to professionals and the general public. LA Testing maintains an extensive list of accreditations including: AIHA LAP LLC., AIHA ELLAP, AIHA EMLAP and AIHA IHLAP, NVLAP, CDC ELITE, State of California, State of Hawaii Department of Health and other states. LA Testing, along with the EMSL Analytical, Inc. network, has multiple laboratories throughout California including Huntington Beach, San Diego, San Leandro and South Pasadena.
 

Contact Information

Joseph Frasca

Senior Vice President of Marketing

LA Testing

(1) 856-303-2503

Contact via E-mail