Legionella
E-news -- 8 January 2004
Legionella E-news, 8
January 2004
HC Information Resources Inc.
Matthew R. Freije, Editor
**IN THIS ISSUE**
1. Legionnaires' Outbreak in France
2. Potting Soil Warnings
3. Filtering Cooling Tower Water
4. Seminar Recordings Now Available
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1. LEGIONNAIRES' OUTBREAK IN FRANCE
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France's worst outbreak of Legionnaires' disease has infected 59 people
and killed seven, most of whom resided in or visited an area to the east
of the town of Lens, in the northern part of the country.
On Sunday, 4 January, the French government shut down a petrochemical
factory after tests revealed that the strain of Legionella found in the
plant's cooling tower matched the strain found in at least 14 of the
victims. Yesterday the police opened a manslaughter inquiry, contending
that the plant should have closed down its cooling tower and notified
authorities in mid-October after discovering bacteria levels seven times
the action level.
Legionella has so far been found in the region only at the petrochemical
plant, but health officials have not ruled out a second source of
contamination, and the plant management has not claimed responsibility.
Source: news media
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2. POTTING SOIL WARNINGS
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On 24 December, Australian health officials warned gardeners of possible
exposure to Legionella longbeachae from the use of potting mix. Five
cases of Legionnaires' disease caused by L. longbeachae had been
detected in South Australia in the two weeks prior to the warning, four
of whom had recently used potting mix. The SA Department of Human
Services advised gardeners using potting mix to wear gloves and a dust
mask and to dampen potting mix to minimize dust. New Zealand health
officials released similar a warning on 29 December after four L.
longbeachae cases were reported there.
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3. FILTERING COOLING TOWER WATER
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According to the Association of Water Technologists (AWT) technical
manual, filtering approximately 3-5% of circulated cooling tower water
(side stream filtration) will reduce suspended solids by 80-90% at 5-8
cycles of concentration, reducing biocide demand. A filter vendor can
run a particle size analysis and recommend a media. Filters should be
backwashed with fresh water (e.g., city water) at least daily.
Backwashing with tower water can waste chemicals and is less effective
in cleaning the filter bed, especially if suspended solid levels are
high. Bear in mind that poorly maintained filters might create a habitat
for Legionella and end up doing more harm than good, so good filter
maintenance is a must.
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4. SEMINAR RECORDINGS NOW AVAILABLE
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Recordings of 90-minute training courses presented live on the Internet
within the last four months are now available for purchase. You simply
watch and listen to the slide presentations on your computer. Each
recording can be downloaded for $159 or purchased on a CD for $174. A
discounted package price of $778 is available for all seven. Here are
the course titles and instructors:
* Waterborne Pathogens: Illness, Prevalence, and Risk Reduction
Strategies (Reynolds)
* Legionnaires' Disease: Update on Diagnosis, Treatment, Microbiology,
Environmental Monitoring, and Disinfection (Stout)
* Legionnaires' Disease: Guidelines, Litigation, and Risk Management
(Freije)
* Minimizing Conditions for Legionella and Other Bacteria in Plumbing
Systems (Freije)
* Reducing the Risk of Legionella in Cooling Towers (Freije)
* How to Sample Water Systems for Legionella (Freije)
* Disinfecting Potable Water Systems (Freije)
For more information, go to http://www.hcinfo.com.
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THANK YOU!
Matt Freije
mf@hcinfo.com
--
HC Information Resources Inc.
Tel: 760-494-3063
Fax: 619-839-3166
hcinfo@hcinfo.com
http://hcinfo.com
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