Legionnaires’ Disease Cases in Pittsfield

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Health Systems announced on Thursday that seven patients tested positive for the bacteria responsible for Legionnaires’ disease. One of these patients has since passed away, although due to existing health issues, it’s unclear if the infection was a direct cause of death. Not every patient with a positive test result required hospitalization.

In response, the hospital is implementing a series of measures to ensure water safety, such as increasing chlorination and filtration, along with providing bottled water for drinking. “We’re not sure where these infections originated, but we felt it was essential to prioritize the safety of all patients,” remarked Dr. James Lederer, the chief medical officer with Berkshire Health Systems, which runs Berkshire Medical Center.

Legionella bacteria, commonly found in freshwater environments, can lead to Legionnaires’ disease—a severe lung infection that may be fatal. Symptoms may include fever, cough, and shortness of breath, but treatment with easily accessible antibiotics is often effective.

Dr. Lederer noted that the disease strikes rapidly. “It’s aggressive,” he said. Similar to COVID-19, individuals with pre-existing conditions or weakened immune systems are at heightened risk.

Over the past four months, the laboratory at BMC detected seven positive tests for the bacteria, with the last one recorded on August 22. In communications sent to both staff and patients, the hospital stated that they have flushed their water system and heightened their precautionary measures.

While slight increases in Legionella levels were detected, they were still within acceptable limits as per the Water Management Plan. However, the specific levels haven’t been disclosed; Dr. Lederer emphasized that ideally, these levels should be zero.

Legionnaires’ disease does not typically spread from one person to another. Rather, it is transmitted via tiny droplets of water containing the bacteria, often through large-scale air conditioning systems.

The exact source of exposure for these patients remains uncertain. However, as some had interactions with the medical center in the two weeks leading up to the onset of symptoms, the CDC has classified these incidents as potential healthcare-associated Legionella cases. The hospital has also informed the Massachusetts Department of Public Health about the situation.

It’s important to note that a positive test for Legionella does not equate to a diagnosis of Legionnaires’ disease, according to Dr. Lederer. “Not all positives are classic pneumonia,” he explained, mentioning factors such as early-stage infections or alternative explanations.

Many of the patients who tested positive were indeed hospitalized. Yet, determining the exact source of their exposure is challenging, especially since some of them had significant underlying health conditions.

To maintain water safety, the hospital routinely collaborates with a third-party testing service to monitor areas of their water system that may be at risk due to age or prolonged water stagnation. “The longer water sits in a pipe, the higher the chance it can become stagnant,” Dr. Lederer noted.

When Legionella is detected in hospitals, it is a requirement to report those findings to the Department of Public Health. These test results, in conjunction with patient cases, drove the hospital’s proactive measures.

Dr. Lederer stated that the facility aims to achieve the highest level of mitigation possible, hoping to revert to a state where no bacteria colonies are present in their water samples.

He also pointed out that Legionnaires’ disease, while severe, tends to affect those who are already at risk. “Younger individuals without underlying conditions might develop pneumonia, but they usually fare better. They aren’t the ideal host,” he remarked.

The hospital has undertaken several steps to manage the situation:

• Heightening chlorine levels in the water supply for disinfection.
• Enhancing the sensitivity of filters on patient showers and ice machines.
• Providing bottled water to all patients and staff.

As these measures are carried out, water samples will be collected for testing.

The timeline for resolving the issue is dependent on the Department of Public Health, not the hospital. “They require three consecutive negative test results,” Dr. Lederer explained, referring to the need for no Legionella in the water.

In an update to the public, Pittsfield Mayor Peter Marchetti mentioned that at this time, it does not appear that the city’s water system is involved. “We’ll be involved in future discussions with both DPH and the hospital,” he noted.

The city doesn’t specifically test for Legionella since its chlorine treatment effectively eliminates the bacteria.

Contact attempts with DPH were not returned by the end of Thursday.