The Role of Legionella in Indoor Air Quality And Other Related Information

Basic Characteristics of Legionella

 Legionella are bacterial organisms.
There are many species in the genus and the most common one known to cause illnesses is the species pneumophila (approximately 90% of the Legionellosis outbreaks)
Legionella are common in nature and can potentially be found in any fresh water, and in some soils.
Legionella became a health concern with the introduction of cooling technology that inadvertently caused the amplification and dissemination of Legionella organisms in indoor air.

Legionella as a Disease Causing Organism

 It is estimated that there are between 10,000-15,000 cases of Legionellosis in the United States yearly.
Most cases are sporadic; only about 4% are outbreak related.
Although the organism is common in the environment, it infrequently causes illness.