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LEGIONELLA - World Health Organization

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Generally, any water source that may produce aerosols should be considered a potential<br />

source for the transmission of legionellae (see Chapter 2). Legionellae require temperatures<br />

between 20 °C and 50 °C to multiply. Consequently, the bacteria are rarely found in municipal<br />

water supplies and tend to colonize warm water systems and point-of-use devices, particularly<br />

hot-water systems. Legionellae do not survive drying, and so condensation from air-conditioning<br />

equipment, which frequently evaporates to dryness, is not a likely source. High numbers of<br />

environmental legionellae, which grow only at 30 ºC or below and will not grow at 37 ºC,<br />

have been isolated from cold systems (Vladimir Drasar, OHS National Legionella Reference<br />

Laboratory, Czech Republic, personal communication, January 2005); however, these are<br />

unlikely to have any clinical significance.<br />

Table . Examples of env ronmental s tes for sampl ng for leg onellae<br />

Approx mate<br />

number of Volume<br />

S te<br />

samples of samples<br />

Potable water outs de or on boundary of health-care fac l ty property<br />

Treatment plant (raw and refined water) 2 10 litres<br />

Guardhouse or other facility if water is not fed from<br />

health-care facility<br />

1 1 litre<br />

Fire hydrants<br />

General potable water system for health-care fac l ty<br />

2 1 litre<br />

Incoming water pipe(s) 2 10 litres<br />

Water softener (pre and post) 2 1 litre<br />

Preheater (discharge side) 1 1 litre<br />

Primary heater (discharge side) 1 1 litre<br />

Circulating pumps 2 1 litre<br />

Holding tanks (cold water, discharge side) 2 1 litre<br />

Expansion tank for hot water 1 1 litre<br />

Back drain on sprinkler system(s) 2 1 litre<br />

Fireline where it branches off main system 1 1 litre<br />

Water used for respiratory therapy equipment 2 ≥ 1<br />

Outlets in patients’ rooms<br />

A r compressor system<br />

4 1 litre<br />

Vacuum water source<br />

Positive pressure equipment side<br />

1 ≥ 100 ml<br />

Condensate from tank(s) 3 ≥ 100 ml<br />

Water separator(s) directly off compressors 4 ≥ 100 ml<br />

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

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