The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) is investigating a cluster of Legionnaires’ disease cases in Union County.
The Department is aware of 14 confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease, including one death, among individuals who live in or spend time in the county.
According to health officials, the cases were reported to the Department between February 3 and February 26.
The Department is working with the local health departments in Union County to investigate this cluster. The individual who died was a male resident of Union County in his late 60s.
“This is a continuing investigation. The risk to anyone who lives in Union County is very small,” New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said. “Out of an abundance of caution, the Department recommends that individuals who live in Union County who become ill with pneumonia-like/respiratory symptoms, such as fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, muscle aches, and headache visit their healthcare provider.”
As it can take up to two weeks for symptoms to develop, NJDOH recommends that those who develop symptoms within two weeks of being in Union County also seek medical attention.
NJDOH has alerted healthcare providers in the area. Legionnaires’ disease is treatable with antibiotics.
The Health Department reports that the risk of Legionnaires’ disease among residents or recent visitors to Union County is low. Most healthy people exposed to Legionella do not develop Legionnaires’ disease.
According to the NJDOH, people over the age of 50, especially those who smoke cigarettes, or those with certain medical conditions, including weakened immune systems, chronic lung disease or other chronic health conditions, are at increased risk for Legionnaires’ disease.
The NJDOH reports that they receive approximately 250-350 reports of Legionnaires’ disease each year. Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia (lung infection) caused by bacteria called Legionella.
According to health officials, people can get Legionnaires’ disease by breathing in aerosolized (small droplets) water containing Legionella bacteria. Aerosolized water can come from cooling towers (air-conditioning units for large buildings), hot tubs, cooling misters, decorative fountains, and plumbing systems. Less commonly, people can get sick by aspiration of tap water containing Legionella. This happens when water accidentally goes into the lungs while drinking (“goes down the wrong pipe”).
People at increased risk of aspiration include those with swallowing difficulties. Home A/C units do not use water to cool, so these home units do not aerosolize water and are not a risk for Legionella growth. Legionnaires’ disease is not spread from person to person.
As part of the continuing investigation, the Department is conducting epidemiologic and environmental investigations to identify possible sources of exposure to the bacteria, conducting environmental sampling for Legionella, and recommending environmental remediation strategies to prevent further transmission of Legionella.
Some potential sources have been identified and remediation has begun at those sites, but other sources may be identified as part of the ongoing investigation. Investigations into these types of Legionnaires’ clusters are complex. It is often not possible to determine the origin of the bacteria that infected people.
For more information please visit the NJDOH Website which includes Frequently Asked Questions on Legionnaires’ disease.