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Managing Legionella and other Pathogenic Microorganisms in Building Water Systems
May 9, 2018 - May 11, 2018
Managing Legionella and other Pathogenic Microorganisms in Building Water Systems
May 9 – 11, 2018
Baltimore, Maryland
Legionella2018.org
This practical conference is a must for everyone with an interest in controlling risks from exposures to Legionella in water plumbing, cooling towers and pools and spas.
Many microorganisms regrow post drinking water treatment and colonize distribution, plumbing and cooling water systems. Among these are: Mycobacterium avium, Legionella pneumophila and non pneumophila strains, and Acanthamoeba polyphaga. They colonize biofilms where they can proliferate by being protected from disinfectant residuals. Legionella pneumophila, in particular, is a significant public health concern. Many disease outbreaks involving thousands of cases of Legionella-associated respiratory disease and at least hundreds of deaths have been reported in the U.S. and Europe since the first identified legionellosis outbreak in Philadelphia in 1976. Legionellosis became a CDC reportable disease in the U.S. in 2001. The most recent Centers for Disease Control Mortality and Morbidity Weekly Report (MMWR, Aug 14, 2015) for 2013-2014 demonstrates that water-related legionellosis is the most significant waterborne disease in the USA and probably also in all developed countries. The MMWR listed 431 cases of 10 microbial diseases. Twenty-one of the 32 reported outbreaks were caused by legionella resulting in 111 cases and 14 deaths, and it was the only cause of deaths among the reported waterborne outbreaks. Since the implementation of the Safe Drinking Water Act regulations in about 1980, there has been a general decline in reported traditional waterborne disease outbreaks, but an increase of those associated with water distribution rather than source water treatment.
Periodic reports of Legionella disease outbreaks associated with hospitals and cooling systems attract national publicity, but it is clear that the impacted community of water suppliers, building facilities, state regulators, health care, and plumbing officials are still lacking adequate information and advice on the physical plumbing water conditions, microbial monitoring and detection, and prevention and mitigation opportunities that can reduce risks to the public. Additional information, the outstanding program, and registration details are available at legionella2018.org
Contact: Joe Cotruvo joseph.cotruvo@verizon.net, or Dave Purkiss purkiss@nsf.org
