Legionellosis is an infection of the respiratory system caused by the Legionella bacteria
Legionellosis is an infection of the respiratory system caused by the Legionella bacterium. Legionellosis is normally acquired via the respiratory tract by inhalation, aspiration or microaspiration of aerosols containing the Legionella bacterium and manifests itself with symptoms such as pneumonia, fever, colds, cough, headache, muscle pain, asthenia, loss of appetite, occasionally diarrhoea and kidney disorders, sometimes even with fatal results.
The most exposed facilities at risk are: hospitals, clinics, accommodation facilities, sports facilities, swimming pools, spas, buildings with cooling towers.
In sanitary installations at risk, appropriate precautions can be taken to avoid spraying potentially contaminated hot water, such as
- Use of shower heads that deliver water with laminar flow, such as Idral 09033/1 shower heads;
- Avoiding the use of aerators on the faucet spouts, which cause the flow to be delivered in turbulent mode, resulting in the formation of aerosols;
- Use taps with a smooth interior, not rough, which reduce the formation of biofilm where bacteria could proliferate, such as Idral PUZZLE series taps;
- If the water system is used occasionally, it is advisable to use taps that avoid water stagnation, such as the Idral electronic taps line that provides an automatic water outflow every 24 hours.
THE REFERENCE LEGISLATION
The State-Regions Conference of 7 May, sanctioned the Agreement between the Government, Regions and Autonomous Provinces, on the document 'Guidelines for the prevention and control of legionellosis' that brings together, updates and integrates in a single text all the indications contained in both previous national guidelines and regulations. The text is based on the knowledge present in the international scientific literature and has also taken inspiration from the guidelines produced at an international (World Health Organisation - WHO), European and national/regional level.