Legionnaire's Disease Case Forces Water Treatment at Dallas Senior Living Community

A Dallas senior living community has had to treat water in two of its buildings after a case of Legionnaire's disease was detected by the county health department.A spokesman for Highland Springs Senior Living, Jeff Getek, said the retirement community was notified March 6 of a positive Legionnaire's disease test by the Collin County Department of Health.It was an "isolated situation," and no other residents of the Far North Dallas community have reported symptoms, he said.Legionnaire's disease is a severe form of pneumonia that can be fatal, according to the Mayo Clinic. Older people, smokers and individuals with weakened immune systems are more vulnerable to Legionnaire's.The bacteria that causes Legionnaire's, called legionella, is typically not spread from person-to-person contact, according to the CDC. Rather, it's normally spread by inhaling small droplets of water in the air containing the bacteria, which is normally found in lakes and streams. About one in every 10 people who get Legionnaire's disease will die, the CDC says.Until the health department gives the senior living community approval, one building where the resident with Legionnaire's lives is dealing with water restrictions, Getek said. The hot water system in two buildings is being inspected and treated with a hyper-chlorination technique, he said.   Continue reading...