PRESENCE OF LEGIONELLA BACTERIA CONFIRMED AT THE FACULTY OF ECONOMICS

ZAGREB, MAY 30 /SRNA/ - The presence of Legionella bacteria has been confirmed at the Faculty of Economics in Zagreb.

The Croatian Institute of Public Health announced that preliminary findings showed the bacteria is located in a part of the hot water system. The faculty administration issued a warning to students and employees not to use the showers until further notice, and they recommended not using tap water for drinking, Croatian media report. Legionella is a widespread bacterium, and it survives and multiplies particularly easily in water and moist soil. It can be found in aquatic ecosystems, such as lakes, rivers, and thermal springs, and the bacteria are present in large numbers in various water supply systems such as cooling towers, plumbing, fountains, water features, devices for cooling, heating, and evaporating water, and air humidifiers. Healthy people of all age groups can get sick, while risk factors include older age, weakened immunity, existing chronic diseases, smoking, and alcoholism, with males falling ill somewhat more frequently. It occurs in two different clinical forms. The milder form is called Pontiac fever, which manifests as a mild, flu-like respiratory illness without pneumonia. The more severe form is Legionnaires' disease with pneumonia. After an incubation period lasting from two to 10 days, there is a sudden onset of a dry cough, chest pain, and a temperature of over 40 degrees Celsius, accompanied by chills.