Richmond Health Center Employee Dies of Legionnaires’ Disease

Experts are testing the water system at the Richmond Health Center after an employee there died of Legionnaires’ disease.

The center remains open and no other cases of the disease have been identified, said William Walker, director of Contra Costa Health Services.

Test results are expected this week.

Legionnaires’ disease is a pneumonia-like infection that is spread when people breathe in water mist contaminated with Legionella bacteria.

The bacteria, which occur naturally in the environment, live in water and can sometimes be found in hot tubs, air conditioning units in large buildings, decorative fountains, and water systems in cruise ships, hotels and hospitals.

Some people get it from breathing in the steam from a whirlpool spa that has not been properly cleaned and disinfected.
The disease is not contagious.

Contra Costa County typically has three to 10 cases per year. Nationally, 8,000 to 18,000 people are hospitalized annually with the disease.

It may never be known where the medical records technician at the Richmond Health Center came in contact with the bacteria, Walker said.

But in 2008, after another Richmond Health Center employee became ill with Legionnaires’ disease, tests indicated that water in the health center’s cooling tower may have contained the bacteria.

Since then, the county has disinfected the heating and cooling system in the building regularly, Walker said.

The employee who fell ill in 2008 recovered, as do most people who contract the disease, which can be treated with antibiotics. Some people never have symptoms.

But Legionnaires’ can be fatal in 5 to 30 percent of cases, according to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Those who are at greatest risk include smokers, people who have a weakened immune system, those with chronic lung disease, and the elderly.

Legionnaires’ disease can be difficult to diagnose initially because symptoms can be similar to the flu. About two to 10 days after becoming infected, people may develop a fever, chills, cough, muscle aches and headache.

Walker advises anyone with such symptoms to see a doctor.

In the latest round of testing at the Richmond Health Center, Walker said it is likely that some of the water samples will contain the Legionella bacteria because it is commonly found wherever tests occur.

But he stressed that county leaders will take steps to eliminate it and he noted that there have been no other cases of Legionnaires’ disease in the county this year.

“We consider the health center to be safe for both staff and patients,” Walker said.

The health center, which has served West Contra Costa residents since 1967 and sees about 7,000 patients monthly, will soon be replaced by a new, state-of-the-art facility.

On Friday, Rep. George Miller will join county leaders in a groundbreaking ceremony for a $45 million center in San Pablo. The 53,000-square-foot building is expected to be completed by July 2012.

County leaders say the current building, the only one of eight county health centers that has never been replaced, has outlived its usefulness.

From Inside Bay Area

Overview of the Dangers of Legionnaire’s Disease

A recent outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease at an Orlando hotel serves to remind us about this dangerous disease:

“The Orange County Health Department says two laboratory-confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease are linked to the Quality Inn near Universal Studios. The hotel is in the International Drive tourist corridor, popular with tourists visiting nearby theme parks.

Officials believe the outbreak may have started in the hotel’s hot tub, which may not have been properly chlorinated.

At least two people were hospitalized as a result of the outbreak, Action News has learned, however no further information about their condition was available. They remain in a Pinellas County hospital. Pinellas County officials first alerted Orange County officials to the potential problem. The patients had stayed at the hotel within the last two weeks.”

According to the Mayo Clinic website:

“Legionnaires’ disease usually develops two to 14 days after exposure to the legionella bacteria. It frequently begins with the following signs and symptoms:

  • Headache
  • Muscle pain
  • Chills
  • Fever that may be 104 F (40 C) or higher

If you have Legionnaires’ disease, by the second or third day, you’ll develop other signs and symptoms that may include:

  • Cough, which may bring up mucus and sometimes blood
  • Shortness of breath
  • Chest pain
  • Fatigue
  • Loss of appetite
  • Gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
  • Confusion or other mental changes”

It is usually contracted when a person inhales the bacteria into their lungs. Legionnaires’ Disease can lead to a number of fatal complications, such as respiratory failure, acute kidney failure, and septic shock, so it should be taken extremely seriously and be treated as soon as you suspect you have contracted it.

If you have any of the symptoms of Legionnaires’ Disease, please see a medical professional immediately so that you can get started on the proper antibiotics. It is an easily treatable disease if caught quickly, but if you let it develop it could turn into a fatal problem.

From Avvo