PRESENCE OF LEGIONELLA PNEUMOPHILA IN TAP WATER AND ITS IMPORTANCE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH

Abstract

Legionella pneumophila is one of the Legionella species that has been implicated in outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease in many countries, particularly in the United States of America (USA), which is caused by tap water, resulting in severe pneumonia and a mortality rate of 7 to 10%. The majority of outbreaks were linked to buildings with plumbing systems (healthcare facilities, hospitals, large buildings, etc.) and specially designed water systems (cooling towers, fountains, showers, etc.), which are optimal sources for the growth of Legionella spp. Infections caused by L. pneumophila are more likely to be caused by hot water in showers, while L. anisa appears to be more likely to cause infections from cold water in taps. Aging municipal water infrastructure, main line outages and leaks in the system are cited as reasons for the transmission of microorganisms, which are difficult to remove from plumbing systems. In addition, climatic changes such as temperature and precipitation are other factors that contribute to the spread of Legionella spp. in water systems and expose more people to the pathogen. In 2023, the outbreak of L. pneumophila in Poland, which resulted in the death of 14 people, brought the importance of Legionnaires' disease back to the agenda. In this review; the epidemiology, transmission routes and detection methods of L. pneumophila, the most important agent of the disease, were revealed in order to prevent and control Legionnaires' disease outbreaks by searching the current literature. Also included is the treatment of Legionnaires' disease.