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Source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...aires-disease-outbreaks-preventable/85518646/
Legionnaires' disease diagnoses quadrupled since 2000
Liz Szabo, USA TODAY 2:13 p.m. EDT June 7, 2016
Legionnaires' disease cases more than quadrupled in recent years even though the outbreaks are largely preventable, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced.
The number of diagnoses of the illness ? a type of pneumonia that occurs when people breathe in small droplets of water contaminated with the Legionella bacteria ? grew from 1,127 in 2000 to 5,166 in 2014, the CDC reported Tuesday.
The disease spreads in water sprayed by showers, hot tubs, air conditioning cooling towers and decorative fountains. While most patients fully recover, a large majority require hospitalization and 10% die.
The increase in cases could be the result of an aging population, older plumbing or climate changes, the CDC said. It's also possible doctors are better at diagnosing the disease and reporting it to health departments, making Legionnaires' appear more common...
Legionnaires' disease diagnoses quadrupled since 2000
Liz Szabo, USA TODAY 2:13 p.m. EDT June 7, 2016
Legionnaires' disease cases more than quadrupled in recent years even though the outbreaks are largely preventable, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced.
The number of diagnoses of the illness ? a type of pneumonia that occurs when people breathe in small droplets of water contaminated with the Legionella bacteria ? grew from 1,127 in 2000 to 5,166 in 2014, the CDC reported Tuesday.
The disease spreads in water sprayed by showers, hot tubs, air conditioning cooling towers and decorative fountains. While most patients fully recover, a large majority require hospitalization and 10% die.
The increase in cases could be the result of an aging population, older plumbing or climate changes, the CDC said. It's also possible doctors are better at diagnosing the disease and reporting it to health departments, making Legionnaires' appear more common...