About Shower Caused Diseases
What is Legionnaires' Disease
Legionnaires' Disease is a potentially fatal form of Pneumonia caused by legionella bacteria. infection is caused by breathing in small droplets of water contaminated by the bacteria. Everyone is potenitally susceptible but some at higher risk than others.
- Those over 45 years of age
- Smokers
- Heavy Drinkers
- Those with respiratory problems
- Those whose immune systems are impaired
Where is Legionella Bacteria Found?
Legionella bacteria are common in natural water courses such
as rivers and ponds. Since legionella are widespread in the
environment they may contaminate cooling towers, hot and cold water systems and decorative fountains.
They thrive between 20°C - 45°C if they have the right conditions to multiply e.g.
If a supply of nutrients is present such as scale, algae, sludge and rust. The bacteria is killed by high temperatures.
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What is psuedomonas aeruginosa?
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen, meaning that it exploits some break in the host defences to initiate an
infection. in fact, Pseudomonas aeroguinosa is the epitmoe of an opportunistic pathogen of humans. The bacterium almost never
infects uncompromised tissues, yet there is hardly any tissue that it cannot infect if the tissue defenses are compromised in
some manner. It causes urinary tract infections, respiratory system infections, dermatitus, soft tissue infections,
bacteremia, bone and joint infections, gastrointestinal infections and a variety of systemic infections, particularly in
patients with severe burns and in cancer and AIDS patients who are immunosuppressed. Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection is a
serious problem in patients hospitalized with cancer, cystic fibrosis and burns. The case fatality rate in these patients is
near 50 percent.