Community Corner
Radnor: Anticipated Increase In Legionellosis Cases Due To Seasonality And Building Reopenings
The Pennsylvania Department of Health (PADOH) is alerting health care providers to an anticipated seasonal increase in Legionella.
June 25, 2020
Anticipated Increase in Legionellosis Cases Due to Seasonality and Building Reopenings
Summary• The Pennsylvania Department of Health (PADOH) is alerting health care providers to an anticipated seasonal increase in Legionella infections combined with a potential increase in cases resulting from building reopenings as described in PA-HAN 507.• Health care providers should maintain a high index of suspicion in adult patients with pneumonia.• The preferred diagnostic tests for Legionnaires’ disease are culture of lower respiratory secretions (e.g., sputum, bronchoalveolar lavage) on selective media AND the Legionella urinary antigen test. Submit Legionella isolates to the PADOH Bureau of Laboratories for serotyping.• Report all legionellosis cases to the health department via PA-NEDSS or by calling PADOH (877-PA-HEALTH) or the local health department.
RADNOR TOWNSHIP DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH: Public Health policy remains an important priority of the Board of Commissioners and the community. To this end the Board of Health was established at the very beginning of the 1st Class Township status. The board now consists of 9 members of the community either following careers or having a strong interest in matters of public health. The board meets monthly, except for July and August, and the Township Health Officer reports to them on his activities and acts as a liaison between the board and the Township Administration. For more information, please contact Radnor Health Officer Marie Carbonara at 610.688.5200 x 167.
This press release was produced by the Township of Radnor. The views expressed here are the author’s own.
