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 spreads. Legionella in water is only harmful if inhaled as mist, steam, or vapor. However, a contaminated source can potentially infect a large group of people. Many outbreaks have been traced to hotels and other places where groups congregate. For example, outbreaks of Legionnaires’ Disease from air conditioning units infested with the bacteria have been reported. When it comes to preventing Legionnaires’ Disease, water treatment is crucial. Understanding Legionnaires’ Disease The first recorded instance of an outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease was in 1976. More than 180 people attending an American Legion convention in Philadelphia fell ill with a previously unknown form of pneumonia. Of those who became sick, 29 died. Not long after this, the Legionella bacteria were identified. The most common symptoms of Legionnaires’ Disease are respiratory, coughing, and chest pain. In addition, patients may experience a fever, chills, confusion, loss of appetite, and nausea. These typically appear within two to ten days of exposure to the pathogen. Older people have the highest risk of contracting the disease, along with those who are immunocompromised or suffer from chronic lung disease. Treatment usually involves a regimen of antibiotics. How to prevent an outbreak Understanding what causes Legionella in water is critical to protecting your property from an outbreak. Like any microorganism, the Legionella bacterium requires the right conditions to flourish. It survives by feeding on a biofilm that can build up on the inside of pipes and other plumbing components. The longer water sits in pipes without moving, the greater the chances that the bacteria will be able to thrive on this biofilm. It’s also important to note that warmer temperatures give the bacterium ideal conditions to spread. Typically, water between 77 and 114 degrees is the most hospitable environment. On top of that, plumbing that does not receive proper disinfection or suffers from lower corrosion resistance could also encourage the development of Legionella. Our LiquiTech™ Copper-Silver Ionization System attacks Legionella’s ability to absorb nutrients, so it doesn’t have a chance to increase. At the same time, it is critical to maintain and clean your equipment to prevent an outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease from a cooling tower, say, or any other water source. In terms of the fight against Legionella, water treatment is a crucial weapon. Unlike alternative treatments for Legionnaires in a water supply that suppress its spread, our technology effectively kills the bacteria. The process involves inserting positively charged copper and silver ions directly into the contaminated pipes. The ions form electrostatic bonds with negatively charged sites on the microorganisms’ cell walls. These connections stress the cells to the point where they can no longer absorb the biofilm. Without the food source, the pathogen quickly perishes. Since this system requires no chemicals and creates no harmful byproducts, it is considered the safest and eco-friendliest solution to prevent an outbreak of Legionella. The process is not dependent on water temperature, so it can be used throughout your building without losing potency. Best of all, there are no corrosive effects, so it won’t damage your plumbing. We provide the best way to prevent an outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease from a water heater or any other source within your property. If you need to control an emergency Legionella outbreak, we also offer fast, responsive services.
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 includes catheters, breathing tubes, and IV lines. Sometimes a patient may become infected after bathing in water containing the Stenotrophomonas bacteria. Why is it dangerous? This infection has a high mortality rate, especially in individuals with compromised immune systems. Its high resistance to standard oxidant treatments such as chlorine makes the pathogen even more hazardous. Compounding the danger is that Stenotrophomonas maltophilia treatment with antibiotics is complex due to the infection’s resistance. It is essential to determine whether the patient is suffering from bacterial colonization in which they are asymptomatic or a full-blown infection such as Stenotrophomonas pneumonia. How can it be prevented? Understanding the most common Stenotrophomonas maltophilia causes is essential to formulate a mitigation strategy. This microorganism needs the nutrients in biofilm to survive and proliferate. LiquiTech™ Copper-Silver Ionization system can stop the bacteria in its tracks before it has a chance to take hold in your facility. Our technology kills Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and other types of bacteria rather than simply suppressing them the way other treatments do. The process involves injecting pipes with positively charged copper and silver ions, which form an electrostatic bond with negatively charged sites on the microorganisms’ cell walls. This makes it impossible for the pathogens to absorb what they need to survive from biofilm, resulting in a quick death. Copper-Silver Ionization requires no harsh chemicals and produces no harmful byproducts, making it one of the safest and most eco-friendly solutions for preventing an outbreak. It causes no corrosion, so your plumbing will be left in the same condition as before the treatments were applied. Because the process doesn’t rely on water temperature to work, it can be used throughout a building without any loss of efficacy. Information from: www.cdc.gov
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 hotel. Hospitalizations The CDC estimates that as many as 18,000 people are hospitalized annually with the disease. In most cases, it can be treated successfully with a regimen of antibiotics, and the majority of patients recover as long as it is caught early enough. The source The source of this disease is the bacterium Legionella pneumophila, found in both potable and nonpotable water systems. Legionella causes include inhaling or aspirating small droplets of water contaminated with the bacteria. Symptoms Legionella bacteria trigger pneumonia. The most typical signs and symptoms of Legionnaires’ Disease include a high fever, chills, cough, muscle aches, and headaches. Generally, there is a two to ten day incubation period before the first Legionella symptoms present themselves. Long-term effects Studies have shown long-term effects such as the persistence of fatigue, neurologic symptoms, and neuromuscular symptoms months after contracting the disease. Risk Smokers, the elderly, and those with chronic lung disease or suppressed immune systems are more likely to become infected, but healthy people may also be at risk. Prevention Keeping Legionella out of water systems in buildings is key to preventing infection. LiquiTech™ Copper-Silver Ionization has proven to be one of the most effective technologies for controlling Legionella in water systems. The importance of protection Countless public-facing businesses count on their water systems to be clean and free from contamination. Their patrons and guests trust them to have the safest and cleanest water systems to prevent outbreaks of this disease and other illnesses. However, these operations present an inherent Legionnaires risk if they do not have a solid prevention and mitigation plan. For example, hotels and health clubs typically feature hot tubs, saunas, and swimming pools. These all have the potential to release water vapor into the air that can carry bacteria. Hospitals and other healthcare facilities house people with compromised immunity who may contract waterborne diseases more easily. Hotel air-conditioning systems and ice makers can generate condensation that allows pathogens to collect and breed, making them one of the most common causes of Legionnaires’ Disease. All these properties and many more must have a robust protocol of testing and water treatment to prevent outbreaks. The experience, expertise, and technology LiquiTech brings to the table make us the ideal provider for supplying complete risk assessment. We have not only the capability to monitor your infrastructure for indicators of contamination but also the mitigation strategies to eliminate them. We serve a diverse cross-section of industries, which means we understand how to deal with a wide variety of environments and their unique challenges. Learn more about our water safety solutions for building water systems.
Top 10 Most-Asked Questions About Copper-Silver Ionization
As the pioneers of copper-silver ionization technology, we pride ourselves on being the leading industry experts in copper-silver ionization. In this blog, we answer the top 10 most-asked questions about copper-silver ionization. 1. What is copper-silver ionization? Copper-silver ionization is a non-oxidant water treatment technology regarded as the most clinically effective prevention and remediation solution for Legionella, the bacteria responsible for Legionnaires’ disease (Legionellosis). During this treatment, ions are systematically introduced into the water using a byproduct-free method to rid the plumbing infrastructure of Legionella bacteria and other waterborne pathogens. 2. How does copper-silver ionization work? Copper-silver ionization is an electrolysis process that introduces positively charged copper and silver ions into the water supply as current is applied across copper and silver electrodes. The positive ions bind to the negative cell walls of bacteria, causing the protein in the cell wall to break down, effectively inactivating and eliminating the bacteria. 3. Why is copper-silver ionization better than other water treatment solutions? Copper-silver ionization is an effective disinfection process that does not require chlorine, unsafe consumables, or dangerous by-products. This disinfection method is effective at the point of entry and in both hot and cold-water temperatures, unlike chlorine-based technologies whose disinfectant rapidly dissipates in hot water environments rendering it ineffective. Copper silver ionization protects your building by preventing damage to the plumbing infrastructure and creating the safest environment for clinical patients. Unlike others in the industry, it also provides up to 90 days of residual protection after the system is shut off. The ions continue to circulate and actively eliminate Legionella and other waterborne pathogens. 4. What do I need to consider when installing a copper-silver ionization system? Installation in the United States will require 110V power capability. LiquiTech offers several configurations based on the needs of your specific facility. Each of our systems is sized to meet your particular water demands. The flow cells are typically installed on a bypass at the point of entry or hot water recirculation loop, and the controller and flow meter can be mounted on a wall separate from the flow cell location. We can also provide a rack-mounted system with inlet and outlet connections. The maintenance of our copper-silver ionization is relatively minimal. Every month, LiquiTech provides a customized Strategic Service Alliance (SSA) plan to ensure your facility’s water protection. LiquiTech personnel can provide all or a portion of the required service in conjunction with the available support from the facility. 5. What does LiquiTech need from me to price out a copper-silver ionization system? LiquiTech will custom design a system based on the water consumption demands of your facility. You will begin with a LiquiTech representative who works with you to identify the specifics of your facility’s water system. Our engineers use this information to design the specific system components required to meet the water demands of your facility. 6. Does copper-silver ionization have harmful disinfection by-products or side effects? Copper-silver ionization has no disinfection by-products or side effects. During copper-silver ionization, copper and silver are added to the water supply at doses of approximately 0.3-0.4 ppm and 30-40 ppb, respectively. This dosage is lower than the maximum amount set by the EPA. This ensures complete safety when utilizing our method by preventing all harmful by-products, carcinogenic risks, and side effects. 7. Does pH affect the efficacy of copper-silver ionization? No pH level has hindered the efficacy of any LiquiTech system in our 25 years of experience. We have successfully treated water with a pH above nine without complications. 8. Can I use copper-silver ionization effectively on cold water systems? Yes. Copper-silver ions are not affected by water temperature. They have been used successfully in hot and cold-water applications, unlike chlorine and chlorine dioxide, which dissipate in warmer water temperatures. 9. How long does it take to kill Legionella? While anything can easily be killed in a lab or a petri dish, at LiquiTech, we measure our success by our ability to eliminate the bacteria to non-detectable levels in actual field applications. LiquiTech has consistently demonstrated a superior ability to take a facility contaminated with Legionella and achieve non-detect status within 72 hours of installation. Our competitors have 12 to 24 months to ‘gain control’ in an actual field application and, to this day, will not claim non-detect as an achievable and sustainable capability. 10. Is copper-silver ionization effective against other bacteria? Yes, copper-silver ionization has been tested and proven to be effective against a broad spectrum of microorganisms such as Pseudomonas and Mycobacterium, all of which have been eradicated with our disinfection process. We have also drastically reduced pinhole leak problems related to microbial-induced corrosion. There is no evidence that bacteria have developed resistance to copper and silver ions, contrary to chlorine-based treatments, which are only effective against selective bacteria.
