Legionella found in two portable spas in Victoria

Legionella-contaminated private portable spas have been linked to two people contracting the disease this year in Victoria.

Water was sampled from the private portable spas as part of investigations into two separate cases. Legionella was detected in high numbers in both spa pools and they are considered the likely source of disease. It was identified that the spa pools were not being dosed with satisfactory levels of disinfectants.

Legionella bacteria are found naturally in the environment. Warm water, like that in a spa pool, provides ideal conditions for the growth of the bacteria.

Spa pools generate small droplets of water that can be breathed in by people in and around the spa pool. These small droplets may contain Legionella bacteria that could lead to a person contracting Legionnaires' Disease.

The small droplets generated by spa pools can travel some distance and cause infection in people that were not in the spa pool. In 2012, 21 people contracted Legionnaires Disease from a spa pool that was on display in a retail premises in Stoke-on-Trent in the UK.

Legionella is killed by low levels of chlorine or bromine. Copper/silver ionisation is also very good at controlling it. Point source disinfection such as UV and ozone will not control Legionella growth because they do not maintain residue disinfection throughout the spa pool.

Legionnaires Disease is a reportable disease - every case must be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services by medical practitioners and laboratories. Each case is investigated by Department officers and they will sample from potential sources the people were exposed to, such as cooling towers and spa pools.

WHO IS AT RISK?

Although this is a common kind of bacteria in the environment, only a few people who come in contact with the bacteria become infected. Some people are at greater risk, such as:

• people over 50 years of age

• smokers

• people with chronic illness

• people with medical conditions that impair their immune system.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?

The symptoms of Legionnaires' disease usually begin to appear within six days of being exposed to the bacteria. Early symptoms are like the flu and include:

• headache (often severe)

• fever

• chills

• muscle aches and pains

• a dry cough and shortness of breath.

Sometimes other systems in the body are affected. This can cause:

• diarrhoea

• mental confusion

• kidney failure.

For more information visit www.health.vic.gov.au/legionella or www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au