Healthcare Investigation Resources

A patient’s exposure to healthcare settings during the 14 days before date of symptom onset is an important consideration when identifying the source of potential Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks. Healthcare facilities often have large, complex building water systems. They frequently undergo construction and plumbing changes. They often have aerosol-producing devices, like cooling towers, decorative fountains, and other devices unique to healthcare facilities (e.g., respiratory therapy equipment, hydrotherapy tubs, heater-cooler units), and other fixtures that may grow or spread Legionella (e.g., ice machines). Patients in these settings often have risk factors for Legionnaires’ disease, such as advanced age, weakened immune systems, and chronic medical conditions.¹

Footnotes

1. Soda E, Barskey A, Shah P, et al. Vital Signs: Health care-associated Legionnaires’ disease surveillance data from 20 states and a large metropolitan area — United States, 2015. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2017;66(22):584–9.