Legionnaires’ cases in Iowa prompt CDC support, no spread expected
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is assisting Iowa health officials as they investigate more than two dozen cases of Legionnaires’ disease in Marshall County.
The CDC said it has been consulting with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services since Aug. 29.
Health leaders in neighboring counties say they are watching developments but are not anticipating a spread beyond Marshall County.
Legionnaires’ disease is not transmitted person to person, county health officials emphasized.
It spreads when people inhale mist from contaminated water sources. Identifying and addressing the source is the key to prevention, they said.
“Anywhere there’s water, there could be Legionella,” said Janelle Turner, a communicable disease nurse with the Polk County Health Department.
“The risk is always there,” she said. “Anytime there is aerosolized water, there is a risk for Legionella.”
Turner added that Polk County has no major concern about spillover from Marshall County.
She noted that local health departments focus on surveillance and rapid source control when cases arise.
In Story County, officials voiced similar confidence.
“There is no concern,” said Treasa Ferrari, a registered nurse with Mary Greeley Medical Center - Story County Public Health.
She said control hinges on proper sanitation and water management: “It’s not going to spread from county to county.”
The CDC said its support includes technical assistance calls and help identifying cooling towers, and it stands ready to provide lab analyses if requested.
Officials added that Legionnaires’ cases are not unusual in late spring through early fall, typically June through October, and that people who are immunocompromised face the highest risk.
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