What Is Legionnaires?
3. Legionella
Legionella is the name of the bacterium that is responsible for both legionnaire’s disease, and Pontiac fever. The bacterium got its name from an outbreak in the 1970s among attendees of the American Legion. 221 people fell ill during the outbreak and 34 of them died. The bacterium is actually quite common but will not usually cause infections.
Under certain circumstances, however, the bacterium is able to multiply to a point where it can become more likely to become a problem. This typically means large water supply systems. Water systems found in homes are less likely to create the ideal conditions in which the bacterium can multiply and spread.
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