LEGIONNAIRES’ SCARE
Hamilton resident contracts Legionnaires’ disease as housing complex discovers bacteria problem
HAMILTON >> A housing complex for seniors and people with disabilities is under the microscope.
Pneumonia-causing bacteria were found at the Alvin E. Gershen Apartments off Klockner Road, sparking a major public health investigation into whether the building is responsible for a tenant contracting Legionnaires’ disease.
The New Jersey Department of Health is aware of at least “one confirmed case of Legionnaires’ disease associated with Alvin E. Gershen Apartments,” a DOH spokesperson said Wednesday via email, adding, “it is unknown if the apartments were the cause of illnesses.”
The housing complex at 1655 Klockner Road issued a letter dated Nov. 28 informing the Gershen community that a tenant recently contracted Legionnaires’ disease, a potentially deadly lung infection.
“While the risk of a healthy person getting sick from anything related to the building is very low,” Gershen’s management said in the letter, “when someone gets sick we work with outside agencies to promptly review any potential environmental factors and action steps we can take to assure the complex is healthy.”
State and local health officials are monitoring the situation at Gershen Apartments. Legionnaires’ disease was associated with the building more than ten years ago, according to DOH, which says the housing complex is cooperating with investigators as they probe the current bacteria scare.
Legionnaires’ disease is caused by Legionella bacteria that thrive in warm water environments such as hot tubs, cooling towers, hot water tanks and extensive plumbing systems. People are exposed to Legionella when they breathe in misty airborne droplets of water contaminated with the bacteria. Any source of a mist —spas, shower heads, faucet aerators, fountains and cooling towers — is a source of potential exposure to Legionella, according to state health officials.
While Legionella may grow and spread in human-made building water systems, no water usage restrictions have been imposed upon Gershen Apartments.
“You cannot get Legionnaires’ disease by drinking water, therefore, mandatory water restrictions are not imposed when Legionella is detected in a building’s potable water system,” DOH spokesperson Donna Leusner said in her email. “However, there are steps you can take to reduce your exposure time to aerosolized water. Consider taking a bath instead of a shower, since a shower could create a mist. Try to minimize your time in the bathroom while the tub is filling. It is fine to brush your teeth, wash your hands or wash dishes, but fill the sink slowly to avoid creating a mist.”
The Gershen Apartments offered similar advice to tenants in its Nov. 28 letter. “We regularly test and treat the water in the building,” the building’s management said in their letter. “Management is treating the water and is working with the New Jersey Department of Health and the Hamilton Health Department.”
DOH confirmed the senior housing complex is treating the building’s potable water system in the wake of the latest Legionella discovery.
“While Legionella bacteria were found at the Alvin E. Gershen Apartments, it is not possible to know whether the tenant became infected at the Alvin E. Gershen Apartments, or at some other location,” Leusner said. “While the water system is being treated, NJ DOH believes that the risk to individual tenants is very low. Most healthy people do not get Legionnaires’ disease after being exposed to Legionella. Being 50 years or older or having certain risk factors can increase your chances of getting sick.”
Current smokers, former smokers, persons with weakened immune systems and anyone who suffers from a chronic lung disease like emphysema may be at increased risk of contracting Legionnaires’ disease from any exposure to misty water droplets containing pneumonia-causing bacteria. Tenants are advised to take precautionary steps as Gershen Apartments takes corrective action.
“While treatment efforts are ongoing,” Leusner said, “it is important for tenants to reduce their exposure to aerosolized water and to seek medical attention immediately if they develop symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease.”
Legionella bacteria cannot be spread person to person, but symptoms of the disease include fever, coughs, chills and muscle aches. Most people diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease “need care in a hospital but make a full recovery,” Leusner said. The potent bacterial lung infection is treated with antibiotics.
The public health investigation remains ongoing at Gershen Apartments.
“It is standard protocol in public health to initiate an epidemiologic and environmental investigation following the identification of two or more confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease associated with the same building (residential, non-healthcare) within 12-months of each other,” Leusner said. “NJ DOH is aware of one confirmed case of Legionnaires’ disease associated with Alvin E. Gershen Apartments; it is unknown if the apartments were the cause of illnesses. However, NJ DOH is aware of additional cases of Legionnaires’ disease associated with this building more than ten years ago. Out of an abundance of caution, NJ DOH and the Hamilton Health Department initiated an investigation to determine if the building is a possible source of exposure. The Alvin E. Gershen owners have been compliant with all public health recommendations and continues to cooperate with the departments of health.”