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LEGIONELLA - World Health Organization

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Until the situation is under control, a critical review of every presumptive diagnosis of pneumonia<br />

in the hospital or residential institution must take place. It is the responsibility of the infection<br />

control doctor or hygienist to declare an outbreak and consider the measures outlined in<br />

Box 6.3.<br />

Box . Recommended correct ve act ons as part of an outbreak nvest gat on<br />

• Shut down any process capable of generating and disseminating airborne water droplets,<br />

and keep the system shut down until sampling procedures and any remedial disinfection,<br />

cleaning or other intervention have been completed. Final clearance to restart the system<br />

may be required.<br />

• Take appropriate samples from the system before any emergency disinfection is<br />

undertaken, for use in investigating the source of the outbreak.<br />

• Review and monitor staff health records to find out whether there are any further,<br />

undiagnosed cases of illness, and to help prepare case histories for affected people.<br />

• Review water systems records, and investigate any equipment or systems that could<br />

have been involved in the outbreak. For example, this may involve tracing all pipework<br />

runs, and taking statements from plant operative managers and from water treatment<br />

contractors or consultants. Any infringement of relevant legislation may be subject to<br />

formal investigation.<br />

• If a cooling water system has been identified as the source of an outbreak of Legionnaires’<br />

disease, emergency cleaning of the system should be carried out as soon as possible<br />

(see Chapter 5).<br />

• If a water system other than a cooling system is involved in an outbreak of Legionnaires’<br />

disease, an emergency treatment of that system should be carried out as soon as<br />

possible.<br />

6.5.2 Establish documentation and communication procedures<br />

Table 6.4 gives an example of documentation for a routine monitoring and corrective action<br />

loop for a hot and cold-water system (see Chapter 5 for information on corrective action for<br />

cooling towers).<br />

<strong>LEGIONELLA</strong> AND THE PREVENTION OF LEGIONELLOSIS 0

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