CDC Reports Cruise Ship Hot Tubs Linked to Legionnaires’ Disease Outbreak
The following article has been rewritten from information originally presented by the YahooNews. You can find a link to the original article at the bottom of the page.
Recent outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease have been linked to hot tubs on U.S. cruise ships, reports reveal.
Private outdoor hot tubs located on the balconies of two cruise ships were identified as the source of multiple infections between November 2022 and June 2024, according to a report published last month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“Epidemiologic, environmental, and laboratory evidence suggests that private balcony hot tubs were the likely source of exposure in two outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease among cruise ship passengers,” the CDC stated.
How Hot Tubs Can Harbour Bacteria
Hot tubs provide an ideal environment for Legionella bacteria due to their warm temperatures, which promote bacterial growth, explained Dr. Waleed Javaid, an epidemiologist and director of infection prevention and control at Mount Sinai Downtown in New York.
“The bubbling and aerosolisation allow bacteria to be inhaled, which is the primary way people get infected,” Javaid told Fox News Digital. He was not directly involved in the CDC report.
Legionnaires’ disease is a form of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria, which thrive in areas where water stagnates.
“When individuals inhale or swallow droplets of contaminated water, they may develop the illness,” said Dr. Andrew Handel, a paediatric infectious diseases expert at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital in Long Island, New York.
Who is at Risk?
Though the disease rarely spreads from person to person, the CDC notes that older adults and those with weakened immune systems are at greater risk of developing severe pneumonia.
Symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease include fever, cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, and difficulty breathing, according to Handel, who was also not involved in the CDC report.
To read the original article post click here.
If you or your company requires a pre-commission disinfection please contact Black Sheep.
