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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Kyle Schmeck, Division of Water Quality Management, Montgomery County Health Department, 1430 DeKalb Street, P.O. Box 311, Norristown, PA 19403-0311, 610-278-5117 ext. 6725, kschmeck@mail.montcopa.org and C. Michael Baysinger, Division of Communicable Disease Control, Montgomery County Health Department, 1430 Dekalb Street, P.O. Box 311, Norristown, PA 19403-0311.

Public Health responders must ensure long-term care administrators understand reasons Legionella bacteria become problematic in a facility, immediate methods to abate such contamination, and chronic measures to monitor and prevent recurrence. The Montgomery County Health Department will discuss a recent Legionella outbreak investigation to clarify the public health responder role and prioritize the responsibilities of the contaminated facility to protect the health and rights of its residents and employees. During a nosocomial outbreak in a long-term care facility, public health officials must respond on-site and provide immediate consultation and written guidance. Officials must provide transmission and health effect information. Responders must conduct facility inspections, sample contamination sources, and provide remediation recommendations pending the results of sample analysis. Per recommendation, facility officials must identify Legionella contamination through enhanced surveillance of patients exhibiting respiratory–like illnesses. They must prevent bacteria amplification through proper operation and maintenance of water treatment systems, and heating, venting and air conditioning systems. During nosocomial outbreaks, maintenance staff must employ immediate water system disinfection to abate contamination, and provide long-term disinfection to prevent its return. Facilities must conduct routine representative sampling to provide insight into effectiveness of water treatment measures. Long-term care administrators should retain Legionella and water treatment consultants to provide further recommendations on Legionella prevention and control. A participant at this session will understand the public health and long-term care provider roles and specific recommendations and methods employed to identify, prevent and control Legionella in a long-term care environment.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the roles of the public health responder and the long term care provider during a Legionella outbreak.
• Prioritize the response actions during a Legionella outbreak.
• Apply prevention and control measures and recommendations for legionella outbreaks in a long term care facility.

Keywords: Long-Term Care, Environmental Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered