Health officials propose Legionnaires’ disease rules

Thursday, Aug. 16, 2001 | 10:40 a.m.

Clark County Health District officials are proposing new regulations aimed at preventing another outbreak of Legionnaires' disease.

Three people who had been guests at the Polo Towers on Las Vegas Boulevard contracted the disease earlier this year. They have since recovered.

The Sun on Wednesday reported that the strain of legionella bacteria found at the Polo Towers matched a sample collected from a former guest who became infected.

The legionella bacteria is commonly found in water heaters, cooling towers and certain plumbing systems, but it doesn't always cause illness. The risk of disease increases when colonies of the bacteria thrive in warm, stagnant water between 90 and 105 degrees, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

Dr. Donald Kwalick, chief health officer for the county, said today that he plans to conduct public workshops and work closely with the resort industry as new regulations are developed.

All hotels, motels and resorts are being sent information from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers to help minimize the risk of legionella bacteria. The standards recommend raising the temperature of hot water supplies to 150 degrees at regular intervals and using anti-scalding devices to protect guests from burns.

Paul Larsen, attorney for the time-share condominium property, said much of the early confusion between health officials and the Polo Towers stemmed from a lack of regulation.

"They were telling us to fix things, but they couldn't tell us what they wanted," Larsen said.

The Polo Towers voluntarily relocated about 300 guests from Tower II, where the legionella bacteria was detected. The other two towers have separate water systems, and no trace of the bacteria has been found, health officials said.

Legionnaires' disease causes flu-like symptoms, and some patients develop pneumonia. The disease, which is fatal in 5 to 30 percent of the cases, is named for an outbreak at a 1976 American Legion convention. An estimated 8,000 to 18,000 cases are diagnosed each year in the United States. Older adults, especially those with chronic lung disease or compromised immune systems, are particularly at risk.