What are Legionella Bacteria and Legionnaires’ Disease?
Legionella is a bacteria found in potable and nonpotable water systems that is the cause of Legionnaires’ disease and proliferates rapidly in warm water environments. Although the number of cases reported yearly in the United States is comparatively low, this is a serious and potentially fatal illness. It is especially dangerous because of how it […]
What is Stenotrophomonas Maltophilia?
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a bacteria found in moist environments and plumbing systems and is the cause of a wide range of illnesses such as bacteremia, pulmonary infections, urinary tract infections, meningitis, and as several others. In most cases, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia transmission occurs when patients come into contact with hospital equipment that has not been adequately sterilized. This […]
The History of Legionnaires’ Disease: How We’ve Come to Understand it
Legionnaires’ Disease is a severe form of pneumonia that sickens about 18,000 people in the U.S. each year. It’s caused by the bacterium Legionella pneumophila. Scientists first identified it in 1977. That was six months after a mysterious outbreak sickened 180 and claimed the lives of 29 people attending an American Legion convention at a Philadelphia […]
