Legionella Outbreak Among Parma Church Community: Reports

PARMA, OH — Seven members of the St. Columbkille Parish community may have contracted legionella, a bacteria that can cause Legionnaires' Disease, a serious type of pneumonia. The church has been asked to turn off its air conditioning, a precautionary tactic, while investigators determine what may be spreading the bacteria.

One parishioner, a 93-year-old woman, may have died as a result of legionella, Fox 8 reported. The Cuyahoga County Board of Health is conducting testing at the church, but results could take up to 10 days. To this point, there has been no clear cause of the bacteria found at St. Columbkille.

The church issued a statement saying that investigators had visited the church several times over the past few days, but no obvious connection between the spread of legionella and the church had been made. Still, the parish promised to take whatever measures necessary to protect its community. "St. Columbkille is committed to ensuring the safety of its parishioners and all who may visit," the church said in a statement.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that, "Legionella is a type of bacterium found naturally in freshwater environments, like lakes and streams. It can become a health concern when it grows and spreads in human-made building water systems like." Once the bacteria infiltrates a water system, it has to work its way into water droplets small enough for people to breathe to spread. It is difficult for people to spread the bacteria person-to-person, the CDC said.

The CDC added that common sources for legionella include:

• Showerheads and sink faucets
• Cooling towers (structures that contain water and a fan as part of centralized air cooling systems for building or industrial processes)
• Hot tubs that aren’t drained after each use
• Decorative fountains and water features
• Hot water tanks and heaters
• Large plumbing systems

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