Legionella are bacteria that are usually found in water. You can find them in rivers, lakes, ponds, showers, air conditioning cooling towers, hot tubs or fountains. They like to grow in warm water (25° C to 42° C), that does not move and that has a lot of matter in it.
You can get legionellosis by breathing in small droplets of water that has the bacteria in it.
There are two forms of legionellosis: Pontiac fever and Legionnaires' disease. If you have Pontiac fever, you may feel like you have a mild flu. Legionnaire's Disease is a more serious sickness. You can get pneumonia as a result.
People who are more likely to get sick:
- Are older people.
- Are smokers.
- Have diabetes.
- Have any lung or kidney disease.
- Have a weak immune system.
- Work in areas where the bacteria grows.
You have to report all legionellosis to Durham Region Health Department.
We work with other agencies such as the Public Health Agency of Canada and Public Health Ontario. We work to find out where the bacteria might be and how stop other people from getting it.
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