At the beginning of August, top U.S science experts started to call for stronger policies to combat growing Legionnaires’ disease problem. The disease has become a dangerous problem.
From 2000 to 2017, the annual cases of Legionnaires’ increased over five times. According to reports, as many as 70,000 Americans get the disease every year. That large number needs to be fought. Now, scientists are calling for steps to a stricter policy surrounding this.
Combat Growing Legionnaires’ Disease — The Root
First, Legionnaires’ is a disease caused by bacteria in large water systems. The disease is a form of pneumonia. Symptoms can include high fever, muscle pains, coughing, and headaches. For those with weaker immune systems, it can become a more serious issue.
Any potable or non-potable water can carry the bacteria. Scientists want to attack this problem since many people that suffer from the disease can also suffer a long-term health-related quality of life.
Getting Involved
Surprisingly, there is not a set of accepted guidelines for preventing this infection. With so many affected, there needs to be a plan in place to control the number of those affected. Just recently, Atlanta and Chicago saw patients of the disease. Who is pushing for regulation? The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Their report pushes for things like minimum temperature levels for hot-water heaters. Additionally, that includes registration and monitoring of cooling towers. The time to get these regulated and enforced has passed. With so many Americans being affected by this, combating this disease is very important. Let’s all call for a step towards getting rid of this deadly disease.
