marshall County Legionnaires’ Disease Outbreak Reaches 30 Cases,Source Remains Undetermined
Marshall County,Iowa - Health officials are investigating an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease,with the number of confirmed cases rising to 30 as of [date of article publication – inferred from context].Despite extensive testing, the source of the outbreak remains elusive, prompting concerns and ongoing efforts to identify the origin.
Legionnaires’ disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria. It is indeed contracted by inhaling microscopic water droplets containing the bacteria, not by drinking the water.Symptoms include headache,fever,and muscle aches,and typically appear two to ten days after infection. The disease is not contagious from person to person.
Investigations have so far ruled out the Marshalltown water treatment facility as the source, according to director Zach Maxfield. However, officials emphasize that while city water treatment systems typically kill the bacteria, it can continue to grow in areas further down the distribution system, such as cooling towers and individual service lines.
“Even in the best managed systems, it happens,” said Proctor.”It’s kind of a natural thing… It’s bound to grow there.”
The bacteria’s location can be unpredictable. ”we can be in investigating systems and, and one building in the system has a legionnaires’ problem, and the next-door building does not … or one floor of a hospital has a problem and the next floor does not,” Proctor explained.
finding the source is elaborate by the fact that identifying a growth of the bacteria doesn’t automatically pinpoint the origin of the illness; the bacteria may have originated further upstream. Authorities are also considering potential sources beyond water contamination, including large air-conditioning systems and open bodies of water.
Health officials recommend running hot water for 30 seconds before showering and increasing hot water heater temperatures to 140 degrees Fahrenheit to limit exposure. Individuals experiencing symptoms are urged to seek medical attention.