Legionella - The other stuff you grow?

[brownstormy]

Hello everyone.

I tried talking about this issue on some other forums but I think the topic pretty much flew over their heads or people are making too much money from their "meds" that they'd rather just ignore the 400lb gorilla.

Please take a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legionellosis and consider for a moment, specially the hydro kids - what else you may be growing.

I fear we may be providing the perfect conditions for these organisms to propagate and sooner or later our hobby may come across this as a giant safety issue.

Here are some excerpts from that wiki:

-aerobic bacteria
-UBIQUITOUS aquatic organism
-thrives in temperatures between 25 and 45 °C [does fine well below that]


Transmission

Legionellosis infection normally occurs after inhaling an aerosol (suspension of fine particles in air) containing Legionella bacteria. Such particles could originate from any infected water source. When mechanical action breaks the surface of the water, small water droplets are formed, which evaporate very quickly. If these droplets contain bacteria, the bacteria cells remain suspended in the air, invisible to the naked eye and small enough to be inhaled into the lungs.[7] This often occurs in poorly ventilated areas such as prisons where a condensating air conditioner can spread it throughout the entire room, infecting anyone not immune to the strain of bacteria. Potential sources of such contaminated water include cooling towers used in industrial cooling water systems as well as in large central air conditioning systems, evaporative coolers, hot water systems, showers, windshield washers,[8] whirlpool spas, architectural fountains, room-air humidifiers, ice making machines, misting equipment, and similar disseminators that draw upon a public water supply. The disease may also be transmitted from contaminated aerosols generated in hot tubs if the disinfection and maintenance program is not done rigorously.[9] Freshwater ponds, creeks, and ornamental fountains are potential sources of Legionella.[10] The disease is particularly associated with hotels, cruise ships and hospitals with old, poorly maintained pipework and cooling systems. A study published by the European Journal of Epidemiology points to automotive windshield washing systems as a source, recommending the addition of an antibacterial agent to the system's reservoir.
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H2O2 is noted to be an effective control (I think I saw some reference to 50ppm being enough over 24 hours, but don't take my word on that one) but most of the information I've found concerns silver stabilized H2O2 which I assume they prefer for ongoing control.

I would like to have a frank and open discussion about these types of safety issues.

Anyone care to chime in on this or related topic?
Should there be some guidelines to limit exposure and propagation?
Anyone tested their res for the organisms?
Anyone in agri-horti sector have experience in dealing with such organisms and controlling/preventing/monitoring them?
Anyone care?

Please discuss!

 

[brownstormy]

Bump in case it got lost in the upgrade.
Lots of views but no input?

 

[kuz]

Like you, never could find any solid info just how much of a threat it is. That alone tells you its probably pretty rare, nasty stuff though.

 

[convex]

Legionella is a pathogen that reporting agencies take quite seriously, and outbreaks well monitored.

While it is a possibility within favourable conditions, it is quite rare.

The last true outbreak that I can find recorded was in Russia in '07.

There have been only a few isolated infections since then, affecting only one or two people per incident.

It is just as likely to culture in garden water features, domestic hvac systems, cisterns and water fountains yet we rarely hear of outbreaks in the news.

While the reality is that it could culture in your system, the likelihood is remote.

I was surprised ... From what I have read,it is more likely to be introduced to your setup from bags of store bought soil, then to self propagate in a hydro rez.

 

[jakesebastin]

There are many possibilities to grow the extra stuff withe main plants . Sometimes it might be helpful to the plants in growing. Required to ask an experienced person to know detailed about that.