September 25, 2009
Edelweiss management responds to positive test results for Legionella
By William Bradner
FMWRC Public Affairs
Recent testing from the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine-Europe (CHPPM-Eur) identified small amounts Legionella bacteria in a single room at the Edelweiss Lodge and Resort, a military vacation resort owned and operated by the Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command.
Military health authorities were informed the first week in September that a German man who passed away from a suspected case of Legionnaires disease had spent time as a guest of an authorized patron at the resort.
The resort immediately closed the room and notified all guests and employees. German medical authorities, the US Army Bavarian Region Medical Department Activities (MEDDAC) Preventive Medicine Office and CHPPM-Eur conducted thorough inspections of the hotel’s water distribution and treatment systems and obtained water samples for testing.
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Edelweiss Lodge and Resort.
File Photo by Tim Hipps, FMWRC Public Affairs |
Since Legionnaires Disease has a two to 10-day incubation period, the samples taken by CHPPM-Eur were brought back to the lab for cultures to be grown.
CHPPM-Eur follows U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines for determining risk and acceptable levels of water quality. An “action level” indicates the point where disease or bacteria is present in great enough quantity to create concern and require action to eliminate the potential threat to health. Small amounts of Legionella bacteria were found in five of the 19 samples taken from the resort. Two of the samples were above the action level where OSHA requires “prompt cleaning and/or biocide treatment of the system.”
It is important to note that the action levels set by OSHA are significantly below the amounts required to cause an immediate health risk. They are set as a safety measure, to allow clean-up and preventative systems to be put in place before there is a threat to health. Legionella bacteria are a natural part of the environment, and may be found in almost any water system.
The resort is supplied by City of Garmisch with potable water. In addition to the water treatments provided by the City of Garmisch, the resort is self-equipped with a Legionnaires Preventive System and other controls and systems that prevent water-born illnesses.
At CHPPM-Eur’s recommendation, resort management has closed two additional rooms that share the same water pipes as a precautionary measure, and.installed a “dosage reading chlorination system” to give additional protection to the water supply while testing continues.
The resort is also running the “superheating” feature of the existing Legionnaire Protection System (LPS) 24 hours per day, until CHPPM-Eur advises that it is no longer necessary. The manufacturer’s recommendation is two hours per day, and Edelweiss routinely superheats its water four hours per day.
The LPS system at the resort has been inspected by MEDDAC and CHHPM-Eur, and has been confirmed to be functioning properly. The LPS system “superheats” water up to 65 degrees Celsius, five degrees hotter than the recommended temperature. The resort also has a water circulation system that maintains a constant flow of water within the resort’s water distribution infrastructure. This, and the fact that the hotel has a 92% occupancy rate, prevents stagnant water conditions, which can encourage the growth of Legionella.
In addition to the LPS and circulation systems, the resort’s water distribution system further treats the potable city water by exposing it to UV light at the water main source to reduce the chance of any harmful bacteria from being introduced into resort’s water distribution infrastructure. Everything technically possible is being done to prevent bacteria from growing in the resort water system and to protect the guests and employees.
CHPPM-Eur is currently conducting additional testing in the affected room, in the rooms sharing the same piping, and at other points in the water system, to include random guest rooms and employee areas. Eighty-six samples have been collected and delivered to the lab for analysis. Nine additional samples were also submitted to the Veterinary Lab Europe to test for the presence of other microorganisms in order to assess the water treatment efficiency and integrity of the water system.
There have been no other reported cases of Legionnaires from guests of the resort more than ten days after the initial report— well past the incubation period of the disease. The resort meets or exceeds all German and U.S. requirements for the safety of its guests and integrity of its water supply.
According to CDC literature, the attack rate of Legionnaires is less than 5% for the general population, and of the 34 different strains of the bacteria, only one, L. pneumophila, causes Legionnaires disease. Those who contract the disease through exposure to the bacteria develop fevers, chills, and potentially pneumonia in susceptible people. Most cases of Legionnaires disease involve people over 50 who smoke and have other medical issues such as diabetes and kidney disease, or have a compromised immune system.
Since the disease is transmitted as an “aerosol,” or via mist/airborne water, European authorities tested the shower head in the affected room and did not detect any significant presence of the bacteria.
Resort management continues to be proactive, cooperating fully with Military, U.S. and German health officials to ensure the continued safety of their patrons. German and U.S. health authorities are continuing their efforts to determine where the deceased contracted the disease, and what other mitigating factors may have lead to his death.