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Many Dutch people are holidaying abroad this year, after two summers in which many travel movements were restricted due to corona. But you didn’t have to go abroad for warmth and sun this year: we will also have to deal with high temperatures in our own country this summer. However, the combination of very hot weather and taps that are not used for a long time are ideal conditions for the development of legionella. Checkout gives tips to prevent contamination and answers frequently asked questions.
To start with the question “What is legionella anyway?”. It will be a term that many people may be familiar with, but what it is exactly and what the risks are, that may not be clear to everyone.
Legionella is a bacterium that occurs in moist environments and can lead to an infection in the respiratory tract. There are two variants of this: the legionella flu (the lighter variant) and the so-called ‘veteran’s disease’. Legionnaires’ disease is not very common, but has more severe symptoms than the mild variant.
A notorious, very serious outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease took place in March 1999 among visitors to the West Frisian Flora in Bovenkarspel. At least 32 visitors to the bulb flower exhibition died and more than 200 people became seriously ill.
A bubble bath filled with water from a fire hose turned out to be the culprit: the fire hose had not been used for a long time and an aggressive variant of the fire hose had formed in the standing water. legionella pneumophiliabacteria formed. The bubble bath seller hadn’t put any chlorine in the tub: it was just there for decoration.
5 frequently asked questions about legionella:
1) How do you get infected? When you are in a humid environment, it is possible that you inhale small droplets with the legionella bacteria. This can happen, for example, at a sprinkler system or under a shower. The probability increases when no water has flowed through the pipes for a longer period of time. Are you afraid that you have ingested the legionella bacteria? Then go to the doctor.
2) What is the risk of infection? Most people do not get sick from the legionella bacteria after exposure, but there is still a risk. The risk of infection and disease is greatest if you are older than forty, have a reduced resistance, smoke and drink a lot of alcohol. Do you have a normal shower with a hot boiler and hygienic spray systems that are very clean? Then the chance of a legionella infection is very small.
3) What are the symptoms? Inhaling the legionella bacteria can in some cases lead to an infection. The symptoms of infection are not immediately visible. With the legionella flu, it takes an average of two to five days before you show symptoms. The symptoms resemble those of a normal flu. You can suffer from headaches, fever and muscle aches and you can cough a lot.
In the more serious ‘veteran’s disease’ the symptoms appear within two to ten days. Symptoms include headache, muscle aches, shortness of breath and a general feeling of malaise. This is followed by pneumonia with a severe fever (above 39 degrees Celsius). Some of the sick also suffer from diarrhea and vomiting.
4) Where do legionella bacteria occur? The bacteria grows in standing water that heats up between 25 and 45 degrees. Since it can get quite warm in the summer and people are often on holiday for a period of time, the bacteria in the Netherlands also mainly occur during the summer period.
Legionella therefore occurs in moist environments. It therefore mainly occurs in devices that atomize or spray water. For example, think of your garden, bubble bath, shower and humidifiers. Devices where the temperature regularly exceeds sixty degrees or whose water does not atomize, such as coffee makers and steamers, cannot contain legionella.
5) How do you treat a legionella infection? Legionella flu – just like the flu – will go away on its own. You can treat the disease with antibiotics. Do you have Legionnaires’ disease? Then you have to act quickly.
This form of Legionella infection can also be treated well by administering the correct antibiotics directly. Your doctor can prescribe these antibiotics for you. Is a legionella infection not treated in time? Then people can die as a result of their infection.
Step-by-step plan: what to do
Are you coming back from vacation? Then it is a good idea to take the necessary measures at home. The chance of legionella is then greater, because the water in your house (and garden) has stood still for a period of time. If, for example, you have not used water for a week, too many bacteria can get into your tap water.
Therefore, flush the water pipe well immediately after returning from the holiday. Use both the hot and the cold tap and open it for at least two minutes. When rinsing your shower head, it is best to let the water run into a bucket. A towel on the bucket ensures less misting.
As soon as you open the tap, it is best to open a window or door and leave the room if the legionella bacteria are in the water. If you have a garden hose, you should drain the garden hose after use. Also, do not leave the hose in the garden!
Prevent infection during your holiday
You can also contract a legionella infection at your holiday destination. In warm countries, the risk of legionella contamination is greater: after all, bacteria are given the space to settle more quickly in the standing water.
Would you like to know more about preventing legionella contamination at your holiday destination and about the measures you can take to make the home situation as safe as possible in terms of standing water? Then read this article by Zembla: in 2018 they paid extensive attention to this.
Source: Central government, Veterans Disease Foundation, Thuisarts.nl, Zembla
This article was published in July 2019, but was updated by the editors in August 2022.