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Legionellosis--the 1980 San Francisco outbreak
The American Review of Respiratory Disease
|October 1, 1982
Summary
An unseasonal legionellosis outbreak in San Francisco affected 14 workers, with older individuals at higher risk. The outbreak was linked to the building's air conditioning system and identified Legionella bacteria in a nearby cooling tower.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Epidemiology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Legionellosis outbreaks can occur in commercial buildings.
- Air conditioning systems are potential sources of Legionella transmission.
- Older individuals may be more susceptible to Legionnaires' disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate an unseasonal outbreak of legionellosis in a San Francisco office building.
- To identify risk factors and the source of the outbreak.
- To understand the role of environmental factors in disease transmission.
Main Methods:
- An epidemiologic investigation was conducted among building workers.
- Case-finding and risk factor analysis were performed.
- Environmental sampling of the air conditioning system and cooling tower was carried out.
- Legionella pneumophila serogroups were identified in water samples.
Main Results:
- 14 out of 1,000 workers contracted legionellosis.
- Individuals aged 50 and older had an increased risk of disease.
- The outbreak was temporally associated with the building's air conditioning system operation.
- Legionella pneumophila Serogroups 1, 4, and 6 were found in a nearby cooling tower.
Conclusions:
- The office building's air conditioning system was implicated in the legionellosis outbreak.
- A contaminated cooling tower near an excavation site was identified as a likely source.
- Age is a significant risk factor for developing legionellosis.
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