Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks and cooling towers, New York city, New York, USA

Publication Details

Authors: R Fitzhenry, D Weiss, D Cimini, S Balter, JK Varma, et al.

Year: 2017

Source: Emerging Infectious Diseases

Publisher: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Citations: 69

Citations per Year: 8.63

Google Scholar Rank: 27

Author Count: 5

Abstract

The incidence of Legionnaires’ disease in the United States has been increasing since 2000. Outbreaks and clusters are associated with decorative, recreational, domestic, and industrial water systems. This comprehensive analysis examines Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks and their association with cooling towers in New York City, providing critical insights into outbreak sources, transmission patterns, environmental factors, and control measures for this important waterborne disease in urban settings.

Key Findings

• Comprehensive analysis of Legionnaires’ disease outbreak sources in urban environment
• Cooling tower identification and characterization as primary outbreak sources
• Environmental factors contributing to Legionella transmission and amplification
• Evidence-based control measures and prevention strategies
• Policy implications for urban cooling tower regulation and monitoring

Research Impact

This influential study (69 citations) provided comprehensive evidence linking cooling towers to Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks in New York City, leading to major policy changes in cooling tower regulation and establishing new standards for environmental monitoring and outbreak prevention.

Publication Access

Full Text: PMC

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Citation Information: Google Scholar Citations