32 Legionellosis

https://www.cdc.gov/legionella/index.html

25 cases

5 deaths

96 % of cases were hospitalized

2.1 cases per 100,000 population


32.1 Epidemiologic Review

32.1.1 Disease Information

Overview: Legionellosis is a respiratory disease caused by the Legionella bacterium. It can cause a serious type of pneumonia called Legionnaire’s disease or the less severe illness Pontiac fever.

Symptoms: Common symptoms include cough, shortness of breath, fever, muscle aches, headaches, diarrhea, and confusion.

Transmission: Legionella bacteria are found in freshwater environments (e.g. lakes, streams). They are also found in man-made water systems. Transmission occurs when one inhales a small droplet of water contaminated with the bacteria.

Treatment: Antibiotics are the appropriate treatment option.

Prevention Prevention measures include minimizing growth of the bacteria within man-made water systems. This includes implementing and maintaining effective water management plans.

32.1.2 Demographics


Rates for <1, 1-4, 5-17, and 18-29 years of age are not displayed due low case counts.

Racial demographic data are not presented due to low counts.


Ethnicity Rate per 100k
Hispanic or Latino 0.8
Not Hispanic or Latino 2.5


Rates for Unknown Ethnicity are not displayed due to low case counts.

32.1.3 Outbreaks

No outbreaks were identified in 2022.

32.1.4 Monthly and Historical Comparisons



Data for Utah and the CDC were retrieved from the CDC’s Notifiable Infectious Disease Data Tables and were available up until 2020.

32.2 Key Things to Know

  • Risk factors among cases include age of 50 years of age or older (80%), current or former smoker (68%), chronic heart disease (76%), diabetes (40%), chronic lung disease (40%), and immunosuppression (36%).
  • Water exposures among cases include municipal water use (88%), showers (79.2%), hot tub (8.3%), and pool (12.5%).
  • Cases also frequently identified home respiratory equipment use: humidifier (16.6%), ventilator, nebulizer, CPAP, BiPAP or other respiratory equipment (20.83%), or routinely use supplemental oxygen (29.1%). Of any of these, half (50%) reported using tap water in machine instead of recommended distilled water.
  • 100% of cases contracted Legionnaires’ Disease Syndrome.
  • 12% of cases were presumptive healthcare-associated.
  • 24% were possibly healthcare-associated.
  • 44% of cases were community acquired.
  • 20% of cases reported overnight travel and all of those cases reported a hotel stay.
  • Commonly reported symptoms among cases include fever, cough, shortness of breath, diarrhea and confusion.