A patient at Connecticut Valley Hospital (CVH) has been diagnosed with legionellosis, a bacterial infection that causes pneumonialike symptoms, commonly known as Legionnaires’ disease, the state Departments of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) and Public Health (DPH) confirmed today.
The patient is receiving treatment at a local area hospital and doing well, according to a DPH news release.
A second suspected case is being treated and DPH said it’s awaiting results of a test to confirm the disease.
DMHAS and DPH are trying to determine the possible source of the bacteria, Legionella, which caused the illness. Legionella is typically found in soil and water. The bacteria grow best in warm water and have been found in cooling towers, hot tubs, hot water tanks, large plumbing systems, air conditioning systems and decorative fountains. When it becomes airborne, it can cause a very serious form of pneumonia, particularly in individuals with underlying lung conditions or compromised immune systems, the release said. It cannot be transmitted person to person.
Typically, 50 to 80 cases of legionellosis are diagnosed each year in Connecticut.
Officials noted that this case of Legionnaires’ is different from the recent outbreak of the disease in New York City, which was caused by contaminated water in large cooling towers on top of a hospital in the Bronx.
