LEGIONELLA - World Health Organization
LEGIONELLA - World Health Organization
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