Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I only run a small office, do I really need to undertake a Risk Assessment?
A: As Legionella Bacteria is a water borne pathogen, and is naturally occurring, any premises where water is present, whether stored or not, has the potential to present a foreseeable risk – That risk has to therefore be formally determined, no matter how big or small.
Q: Which labs should I use?
A: An important consideration when interpreting Legionella Sampling Results is not only the count (the number of bacteria in the sample) but also the Species and Serogroup. This is why it is of paramount importance that all laboratory sampling is undertaken by Independent SANAS Accredited laboratories, in accordance with the ISO:DIS 11731 method. Several private and public laboratories in South Africa have developed their own methods for culturing of Legionella Bacteria in water samples, however these methods do not differentiate between Species and Sero-groups.
Q: My labs use the correct method, but are not accredited yet. Is this acceptable?
A: Some labs use the ISO Method, however are not yet accredited, as it can be a costly and time consuming affair. While we would always recommend the use of accredited labs, for the time being it would be favourable to no sampling, or use of the incorrect method for enumeration. In the event of a suspected case / outbreak of Legionnaires Disease, or if there is any suspicion that a system may be contaminated, we would always recommend the use of an accredited lab, who utilise the ISO method. Once the new SANS 893 1 & 2 guidelines are published. All sampling should be undertaken by laboratories as outlined within the document.
Q: Are South Africans immune to Legionnaires Disease?
A: No, Legionnaires Disease can affect any human on the planet, there is no genetic immunity. Different people, however, depending on their current state of health, are more susceptible than others.
Q: Why, then, have there never been any outbreaks here?
A: Quite simply, the level of awareness in the healthcare industry regarding Legionella is either poor, or generally misguided. Patients with respiratory illnesses are not regularly screened for legionella as a matter of course (unlike other countries around the world), and occasionally, when they are, misdiagnosis often occurs due to a lack of understanding of the diagnostic procedures. The true extent of the problem is unknown, because there can be no statistics if no records are kept.
Q: Shouldn’t we be more worried about HIV and / or TB?
A: The prevalence of HIV and TB is an immense concern in the South African environment. It also greatly impacts on the risks to be considered in this region from a Legionella perspective. Both result in a weakened immune status, lowering the body’s ability to fight against an infection such as Legionella, resulting in an increased likelihood of fatality.
