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The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating the link between four reported cases of Legionella in the Bangor area.
All four patients were hospitalized with the disease, also known as Legionnaires’ disease, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention spokesperson Robert Long said in a statement. Two remain hospitalized. The cases were recently confirmed, but no specific timeline was provided.
The Maine CDC is trying to determine if the infections are incidental or if there is a common exposure. The Maine CDC did not provide additional details on how the cases could possibly be linked.
Health care providers in the region have been notified of the four cases so they can consider testing for the disease. All cases should be reported to the Maine CDC.
Legionella is not passed from person to person. Legionella bacteria are found naturally in freshwater environments such as lakes and streams. People can become infected by breathing in water droplets containing the bacteria, a concern that intensifies as the bacteria grows and spreads in a building’s water system, such as cooling towers used in systems. air conditioning, hot tubs, fountains and large plumbing systems.
Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia. Symptoms include cough, shortness of breath, fever, muscle pain, and headache. A doctor will use chest x-rays or a physical exam to look for pneumonia and may also order tests on a urine or sputum sample to determine if a lung infection is caused by Legionella.
Most healthy people who are exposed to Legionella do not get sick, but those at increased risk of getting sick are people over 50, current or former smokers, people with lung disease. chronic, weakened immune system or cancer. Other people at risk include people with underlying health conditions such as diabetes, kidney failure, or liver failure.
Legionnaires’ disease is treated with antibiotics and most people who get sick will need hospital care. Most people make a full recovery, but about 1 in 10 people die from the infection.
Cases have been increasing in the United States since 2000. About 9,000 cases were reported in 2019. Maine has recorded an average of 21.4 cases per year since 2016, according to the Maine CDC.
Health officials recommend taking preventive measures to limit the risk of bacterial growth in buildings. Electric water heaters should be flushed annually by a plumber, shower heads should be removed and cleaned regularly, and humidifiers should be cleaned and sanitized.
Legionella was discovered after an outbreak in 1976 among people who attended an American Legion convention in Philadelphia, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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