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LEGIONELLA - World Health Organization

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Glossary<br />

aerobic bacteria Bacteria that require the presence of free or dissolved oxygen<br />

in their environment for survival and reproduction.<br />

aerosol A suspension of fine solid or liquid particles in a gas, such as air.<br />

anaerobic bacteria Bacteria that live and reproduce in an environment that contains<br />

no free or dissolved oxygen.<br />

antibody A protein produced by the body’s immune system that recognizes<br />

and helps fight infections and other foreign substances in the body.<br />

antigen A foreign substance that stimulates the production of antibodies<br />

by the immune system.<br />

ascertainment The determination through diagnostic methods of whether<br />

or not a person is infected with the disease.<br />

aspiration The inhalation of foreign material, such as food or airborne<br />

particles, into the lung.<br />

biofilm A slimy matrix produced and inhabited by bacteria, which enables<br />

the bacteria to adhere to a surface and carry out certain essential<br />

biochemical processes.<br />

blow-down (or bleed-off) Removing some of the water of a system periodically or<br />

continuously, and replacing it with fresh water, to control the<br />

continuous accumulation of dissolved solids in the water.<br />

bronchoalveolar lavage Washing the bronchial tubes and alveoli with repeated injections<br />

of water.<br />

community acquired Cases of legionellosis that are not acquired in a health-care,<br />

travel or domestic (i.e. the patient’s home) setting.<br />

comorbidity A disease or disorder that is not directly caused by another<br />

disorder but occurs at the same time.<br />

control measure Any action and activity that can be used to prevent or eliminate<br />

a water safety hazard or reduce it to an acceptable level.<br />

control point A step at which control can be applied to prevent or eliminate a<br />

water safety hazard or reduce it to an acceptable level. Some<br />

plans contain key control points; that is, points at which control<br />

might be essential to prevent or eliminate a water safety hazard.<br />

corrective action Any action to be taken when the results of monitoring at the<br />

control point indicate a loss of control.<br />

deadleg A length of water-filled pipe where there is little or no flow.<br />

decimal reduction time A unit of microbial heat resistance, defined as the time<br />

required to kill 90% of a population of microorganisms<br />

at a constant temperature, under specified conditions.<br />

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

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