Woman dies after Legionnaires' disease: How to protect ourselves?

A 78-year-old woman died from complications of Legionnaires' disease, Dr. Miroslava Kiselkova, head of the "Anti-epidemic Control" department at the Regional Health Inspectorate in Burgas, told BTA.

The woman was on a trip to Turkey. After returning home, she was admitted to a hospital in Burgas, where the fatal outcome occurred later.

Legionnaires' disease is not transmitted from person to person. The source of the infection is plumbing installations that form a water aerosol and are infected with the bacteria, Dr. Kiselkova explained to BTA. According to her, the microorganism develops in the water supply systems and the risk arises from inhaling an infected aerosol, for example, when using a shower or tap.

The disease is registered relatively less often compared to mass respiratory infections.

It can proceed mildly with flu-like symptoms, but it can develop very seriously with pneumonia and respiratory failure, in which case the mortality rate is high, Dr. Kiselkova added.

According to the specialist, the incubation period is between two and ten days. The disease is often associated with travel and stays in tourist sites where the plumbing systems have not been used for a long time.

If prophylaxis and disinfection of the water supply system are not performed before the start of the season, there is a risk of the bacteria developing, Dr. Kiselkova pointed out.

She clarified that in case of suspicion of Legionnaires' disease, an epidemiological study is carried out and water samples are taken, which are examined in a national laboratory. Since 2023, control over the presence of the bacteria is also regulated in the Ordinance on water for drinking and domestic needs, with priority objects such as hotels, kindergartens, schools and medical facilities being under supervision.

According to Dr. Kiselkova, the most vulnerable are the elderly, smokers, and people with accompanying diseases or a weakened immune system.

The risk is not related to drinking the water, but to inhaling the aerosol that forms when turning on the shower or tap, she clarified.

Specialists advise, when checking into a hotel, to initially run the shower and tap briefly and ventilate the room to reduce the risk of inhaling a water aerosol.

These are elementary measures that can help to limit the risk, Dr. Kiselkova explained.