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Legionnaires’ disease in Lee County has shown a steady incline over the past ten years. Some years have shown a dramatic increase, while others return from the outlier to the upward trend.
However, over the past three years, a significant increase in cases has made their way into Lee County hospitals. This year has far surpassed previous years statistics.
Here’s what we know about Legionnaires’ disease in Lee County
Florida accounts for an unusually high percentage of reported Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks nationwide. According to reports, the state held 60% of the reported Legionnaires’ outbreaks in 2020 alone. That same year 38% of outbreaks in health care facilities took place in Florida.
While this is already a startling statistic. It is made worse by discovering that the population of Florida only makes up 6.8% of the whole United States.
What is going on?!
Lee County, home to Bonita Springs, Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Sanibel, and other cities and small towns has recently hit the news due to the increase in cases within the county.
Over the past three years, Legionnaires’ disease in Lee County has shown a marked increase.
In 2021, 32 cases were reported in the county. This rose to 37 in 2022. A big jump to 49 cases was identified in 2023.
With several months remaining in the year, there has been 53 cases of Legionnaires’ disease in 2024 alone.
Legionnaires’ disease is caused by infection with a type of germ called Legionella bacteria. Legionella is a naturally occurring bacteria that can be primarily found in freshwater environments. Places like lakes and streams.
The risk of exposure in these natural environments is small, as the bodies of water are larger. The problem comes when the bacteria grows and spreads in human-made water systems that create aerosolized droplets that can be breathed into the lungs.
A common source of Legionella bacteria involves cooling towers used for centralized air-cooling systems for buildings.
Other common sources include large, complex plumbing systems or those under construction with dead legs that allow bacteria to grow and spread.
Hot water heaters and tanks provide a happy, warm environment and promote the growth of biofilm that allows Legionella bacteria to grow and thrive.
Showerheads and sink faucets, hot tubs, and even decorative fountains and water fixtures can create an airborne environment to spread Legionella bacteria. Anything that creates a mist.
Single family homes, most apartment buildings without cooling towers, and car air-conditioning units do not use water to cool the air. These are not major exposure risks for Legionnaires’ disease.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does indicate, though, that if a vehicle’s windshield wiper fluid tank is filled with water instead of “genuine windshield cleaner fluid,” it too could be a potential source of infection.
Legionnaires’ disease is not contagious. It is not typically spread from person to person. Person to person transmission has only been documented in very rare and specific circumstances.
People become infected with Legionella bacteria by breathing in contaminated water droplets caused by aerosolized water in the air.
Most healthy individuals do not fall ill after being exposed to Legionella bacteria. However, certain groups of people are at an increased risk due to existing health factors.
While the infection can be treated with antibiotics, it is a serious illness. Most will require hospitalization to make a full recovery and 1 in 10 will die from the infection. This statistic jumps to 1 in 4 resulting in death if illness is acquired while staying in a healthcare facility.
Common risk factors include:
Legionella bacteria are responsible for two types of illnesses.
Pontiac Fever and Legionnaires’ disease.
The most notable difference between the two illnesses is pneumonia symptoms.
Pontiac fever is the milder of the two illnesses. Common symptoms involve fever and muscle aches that can begin anywhere from a few hours to several days following exposure. Most of the time symptoms resolve within a week or so.
Legionnaires’ disease, despite its severe nature, often goes undiagnosed. This is because Legionnaires’ disease symptoms are very close to those of typical pneumonia. In fact, chest x-rays often cannot distinguish between pneumonia and Legionnaires’ disease.
This complicates the recover process. Specifical medications can treat Legionnaires’ disease more quickly. But this treatment is only administered with a proper diagnosis.
Common Legionnaires’ disease symptoms include cough, shortness of breath, fever, muscle aches, and headaches. Some people with Legionnaires’ disease may also experience diarrhea, nausea, and confusion.
Often, symptoms begin within two days to two weeks following exposure. However, in some cases, symptoms may take longer to appear.
If you have developed pneumonia symptoms, seek medical attention right away. If you have been exposed to Legionella, be sure to mention it, or if you have used a hot tub, spent any nights away from home, or stayed in a hospital in the last two weeks.
Specific tests can be performed that will identify if you have been infected with Legionella bacteria or some other potential bad bug. Legionnaires’ disease is not diagnosed by symptoms alone.
Your doctor may request a urine test or obtain a phlegm sample or lung washing for analysis to properly diagnose and ensure appropriate treatment.
If you have been exposed to Legionella bacteria and begin to feel sick, you may be worried about what to do.
If you have become sick with pneumonia symptoms and believe you may have Legionnaires’ disease, inform your health care provider of your recent exposure risk. This will help them order the appropriate diagnostic tests for a more accurate diagnosis and treatment.
Get advice from a Legionnaires’ disease lawyer. An experienced Legionnaires’ disease lawyer can negotiate with insurance companies, assist in the investigation, and represent you in court.
If you have become sick with Legionnaires’ disease and wish to make a legal claim, The Lange Law Firm, PLLC has a Legionnaires’ disease lawyer that can help.
Call (833) 330-3663 or send an email for a free, no obligation consultation to go over the details of your situation.
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)
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