Jahnavi Sarma
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If you have pneumonia, you may experience cough, fever, shaking, chills, and shortness of breath.
Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, the world had come to a standstill with educational institutes and offices shutting to prevent transmission of the virus. Now, as we slowly limp back to normal life in a post-lockdown scenario, there are many things that may yet confront us. One danger that lurks ominously is Legionnaires' disease. This is caused by the legionella pneumophila bacteria. When buildings are not in use, the plumbing system closes down. Water in air-conditioning systems, toilets and other plumbing in office buildings becomes stagnant. The temperature of stagnant water may reach anywhere between 77 and 108 degrees F. This provides a perfect environment for legionella pneumophila bacteria to thrive and multiply.
Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was forced to shut down some buildings in Atlanta after this bacterium was detected in the water systems after lockdown. Following this, the CDC issued a warning that a period of inactivity in buildings could spur the growth of Legionella, which can cause a severe and potentially fatal form of pneumonia.
When people start going to offices again, they are in danger of inhaling contaminated droplets of this water which may be released in the air from AC vents. Large buildings, like office complexes, stadiums and malls, are especially vulnerable and these may see major outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease. The extensive plumbing provides a breeding ground for many micro-organisms, including bacteria. Air-conditioning cooling towers, if not properly maintained, can be one place where these organisms thrive. It can disperse contaminated droplets through vents, which can infect many people. Shower heads, taps, spa pools and water fountains may also contain this hidden danger.
Apart from the CDC buildings, recently, the bacteria was also detected in four locations at Kettering Fairmont High School in Ohio after an employee was diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease. Soon after, five schools in Ohio and four schools in Pennsylvania also reported finding it in their plumbing system. This can be a real problem in India, where maintenance of plumbing systems may not really be a priority in the current scenario.
A proper assessment of water systems in offices, schools, malls and other buildings and institutions, which were shut during the lockdown, is essential to eliminate the risk of Legionnaires disease in a post-lockdown world. Flushing the entire water system, cleaning fountains and cooling towers, and ensuring that the entire plumbing system is clean and well maintained is essential. Chlorination is one effective way of dealing with this problem.
If you inhale this bacterium, you may develop a severe form of pneumonia and respiratory distress with symptoms like cough, fever, difficulty in breathing, muscle aches, chills, diarrhea and headache. Most of the symptoms may be confused with the symptoms for COVID-19, which also causes respiratory distress. But the good news is that, most of the time, you may not even have any visible symptoms of this condition. But if you do get sick, your doctor will probably prescribe antibiotics, which should take care of your condition effectively. But then, if you are elderly or suffer from some respiratory disease like COPD, diabetes, cancer, transplant patients and smokers, you may experience severe complications, which may require hospitalization. The good news here is that this is not as contagious as COVID-19. You get it only if you inhale the contaminated aerosols.