Last month, two deaths at a Dearborn retirement facility were found to be caused by Legionnaires’ disease.
And right now, New York City health officials are investigating a cluster of 90 cases, including three deaths.
Experts say cases of Legionnaires’ disease have been increasing over the past two decades and are often under-reported.
Legionnaires’ disease is caused by the Legionella bacteria.
Cases are most common in the summer and early fall, when warm, stagnant water allows bacteria to grow in water systems.
“Legionnaires’ disease is a pneumonia, but it’s unusual in that we don’t share it with each other, like you would the common cold or flu. Rather, it’s caused by a bacterium that we get from contaminated water systems that are throwing into the air by engineered equipment, and we inhale them; they can get into your lung and cause disease,” said University of Michigan Microbiologist Michele Swanson, ph.D.
The bacteria can be spread in mist from improperly maintained cooling towers, building water systems, hot tubs, decorative fountains, and showerheads.
Swanson says prevention is key.
“To get on top of this and reduce risk, better water management policies for public buildings, especially those that house people who are most at risk, long-term care facilities, and hospitals. So there are excellent guides to water management, making sure that the water doesn’t stagnate,” Swanson said.
The disease can be detected with a simple urine test if a doctor knows to test for it.
“If a person is experiencing shortness of breath, fever, headache, maybe some muscle aches, they should go see a doctor, especially if they’re aware that there have been other cases in their area,” Swanson said.