A resident of Highland Springs Senior Living in Dallas, Texas, contracted Legionnaires’ disease, a severe form of pneumonia that is caused by breathing in water particles contaminated with Legionella bacteria. The Collin County Department of Health informed Highland Springs Senior Living about the positive Legionnaires’ disease test earlier this month. This was an “isolated situation,” a Highland Springs Senior Living told Dallas News.
Low to “inconclusive” levels of Legionella bacteria was found in the water system. The hot water system in two of the buildings on the Highland Springs Senior Living campus were inspected and treated with hyper-chlorination. In the building where the sickened resident lived, all of the residents were given bottled water for cooking and drinking. Management also provided water filters for the showers.
Legionnaires’ disease (LD) is a severe form of pneumonia. The timeline of illness starts with breathing in a water droplet containing cells of Legionella bacteria. Even a few cells of this deadly pathogen can cause severe illness and death in older adults and people with compromised immune systems. These cells of bacteria travel to the lobes of the lungs, where they multiply. This is a particularly difficult form of pneumonia to treat. According to the CDC, many cases of Legionnaires’ disease are never diagnosed. Presumably, the pneumonia is treated, but no testing is done to determine if an infection of Legionnella bacteria are what caused it.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with pneumonia, you may have to request further testing to find out if it the source was Legionella. If so, you can contact our law firm to talk with a Legionnaires disease lawyer. It is free. Either use our toll-free number, 1-888-377-8900, or use the form below.
Source: Branham, Dana. “Legionnaires’ disease case forces water treatment at Dallas senior living community.” Dallas News. The Dallas Morning News. Web. 28 Mar. 2018.