{"id":6791,"date":"2016-07-18T22:02:09","date_gmt":"2016-07-18T19:02:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pool-about.gr\/?p=6791"},"modified":"2024-03-03T17:25:07","modified_gmt":"2024-03-03T15:25:07","slug":"nosos-legionella","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pool-about.gr\/en\/pisina-article\/epexergasia-nerou-article\/nosos-legionella\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Legionnaires' disease (Legionella)?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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THE REDOX HELLAS<\/a> is one of the most growing Greek companies operating in the Greek market with specialization in water treatment.<\/a><\/p>\n

The company was founded by experienced professionals in the field in 2008 and provides products and services for the water processing<\/a> (swimming tanks, cooling towers, steam boilers, biological cleaning, fat collectors, etc.). In recent years, he has acquired expertise in the prevention and treatment of Legionnaires' disease (Legionella).<\/p>\n

What is Legionnaires' disease (Legionella)?<\/h2>\n

The Legionella bacterium is found in small concentrations in natural water resources (lakes, rivers, and even the sea), more rarely in the soil, and in these concentrations it does not usually pose a risk to public health.<\/p>\n

During its collection and distribution (tanks, water heaters, piping networks) it is possible to create conditions suitable for its multiplication, leading its initially harmless concentrations to very high and dangerous for humans colonies.<\/p>\n

The three factors favoring its development are:<\/p>\n

1. Temperature:<\/h3>\n

Temperatures between 20C \u2013 42C with an ideal of 35C. Legionella does not multiply below 20C (which is why it is usually not detected in cold water when the installation is correct) and is killed above 45C, logarithmically.<\/p>\n

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2. Food:<\/h3>\n

The Legionella bacterium feeds on other bacteria that are also naturally present in the water as well as amoebae, protozoa, and that may compose or contain the biofilm that has been created inside pipes or tanks.<\/p>\n

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3. Stagnation:<\/h3>\n

Legionella needs a stable environment to multiply. A continuous flow would not allow the colonies to reach dangerous limits even if the above conditions were satisfied. Large water storage tanks, heaters and "dead" spots in networks ensure this factor.<\/p>\n

Extremely resistant, it can remain dormant and when the above three factors are met, start multiplying, doubling its number every two hours or so. The places it can "hide" are invisible to the naked eye and are calcium deposits (salts), rust and slime. Legionnaires' disease<\/p>\n

This disease is a very severe type of pneumonia with a mortality rate of around 15% in healthy people and around 40% in special groups (infants, elderly, immunosuppressed people, avid smokers, etc.). It has an incubation time of 2-10 days and symptoms appear about 3-6 days after exposure.<\/p>\n

Legionnaires' disease<\/h2>\n

This bacterium infects humans through the respiratory tract. It cannot be transported by itself and therefore uses aerosols or microdroplets as transport "capsules". Points where such droplets are produced are the showers, the fountains<\/a>, aquariums, swimming pools, spas, therapeutic humidifiers, room humidifiers and above all cooling towers. Upon inhalation, it settles deep in the lungs and begins its destructive action there, feeding on macrophages and epithelial cells of the lung, where it reproduces. Legionella is not transmitted from person to person and due to its nature it cannot invade the body through water or food (it seeks cavities that exist in the lungs but not in the stomach).<\/p>\n

The above pathogenic microorganisms are mainly found in:<\/h3>\n