Source of Legionella found with Google Earth
August 5, 2006
Two people died in Amsterdam and 30 were infected. They allready knew it was a cooling tower that caused Legionellosis. They asked the local governement for a list with Buildings with that specific cooling installation. There was no list at all and the local medical service used Satellite images from Google Earth to find the higher Buildings in Amsterdam. They made their own list and checked all found Buildings and their cooling towers. Researchers confirmed that they found the source. It was the cooling tower from the post office in the centre of Amsterdam.
People get legionellosis when they inhale water mist containing the bacteria. In water systems the bacteria enter in the fill water. When the sanitizer system is not properly maintained the bacteria may multiply and become established in the resident biofilm. Cooling towers, humidifiers, showers, and spas may then broadcast fine droplets of bacterial containing water into the air. These droplets can become inhaled into the lungs. Once in the lungs the bacteria produces an infection.
