Letter to the editor: Fighting Legionnaires' disease

Westmoreland County has had its share of scares with Legionnaires’ disease, a deadly but highly preventable respiratory illness that’s spread by breathing mist contaminated with the bacteria.

Concern about the disease has been magnified by covid-19, which forced many public buildings to shut down. When buildings have low or no occupancy, water safety is jeopardized. Stagnant water prevents effective chemical treatment, and that dormancy allows Legionella pneumophila bacteria to grow.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, case rates in Pennsylvania have increased 65.9% over five years. Only four other states — New Hampshire, New York, Ohio and Rhode Island — and the District of Columbia, have higher rates over the same period.

The true number of cases may be higher. Legionnaires’ disease is severely underdiagnosed. A recent study by the National Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine estimates that the true number of Legionnaires’ disease cases may be 10 times higher than what is reported.

Despite these warnings, Pennsylvania still has no requirements for managing or testing for Legionnaires’ disease. New legislation (Senate Bill 1125), sponsored by state Sens. Joe Pittman, R-Indiana, and Wayne Fontana, D-Allegheny, would finally address this oversight and put in place standards to protect against another public health crisis.

Janet E. Stout

Uptown

The writer is executive vice president and founder of Special Pathogens Laboratory, which specializes in Legionella control and prevention.