J Prev Med Public Health.  2017 Jul;50(4):274-277. 10.3961/jpmph.17.066.

Community-acquired Legionnaires’ Disease in a Newly Constructed Apartment Building

• Ryu S
• Yang K
• Chun BC

• KMID: 2387582
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.17.066

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Legionnaires' disease (LD) is a severe type of pneumonia caused by inhalation of aerosols contaminated with Legionella. On September 22, 2016, a single case of LD was reported from a newly built apartment building in Gyeonggi province. This article describes an epidemiologic investigation of LD and identification of the possible source of infection.
METHODS
To identify the source of LD, we interviewed the patient's husband using a questionnaire based on the Legionella management guidelines from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Water samples from the site were collected and analyzed. An epidemiological investigation of the residents and visitors in the apartment building was conducted for 14 days before the index patient's symptoms first appeared to 14 days after the implementation of environmental control measures.
RESULTS
Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 was isolated from the heated-water samples from the patient's residence and the basement of the apartment complex. Thirty-two suspected cases were reported from the apartment building during the surveillance period, yet all were confirmed negative based on urinary antigen tests.
CONCLUSIONS
The likely source of infection was the building's potable water, particularly heated water. Further study of effective monitoring systems in heated potable water should be considered.

Keyword

Legionella; Potable-water system; Infection; Disease outbreaks; Korea

MeSH Terms

Aerosols
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
Disease Outbreaks
Drinking Water
Gyeonggi-do
Hot Temperature
Humans
Inhalation
Korea
Legionella
Legionella pneumophila
Legionnaires' Disease
Pneumonia
Serogroup
Spouses
Water
Aerosols
Drinking Water
Water