NJ Department of
Health Investigating Three Cases of Legionnaires' Disease Associated with a
Hotel Stay |
The New
Jersey Department of Health in coordination with the Parsippany-Troy Hills
Health and Human Services Department is investigating three cases of
Legionnaires’ disease in guests who stayed at the Hilton/Hampton Inn
Parsippany Hotel last year. Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia
caused by breathing in Legionella bacteria. The guests
visited the hotel, located at 1 Hilton Ct., between July 2021 and October
2021. The individuals range in age from 52 to 77 and have since recovered. After the
second case was identified in February 2022, the Department in coordination
with the Parsippany-Troy Hills Health and Human Services Department began an
outbreak investigation to determine if the hotel was a possible source of
these infections. Health officials visited the site in February and
instructed hotel management to collect samples from the building’s water
system for Legionella
testing. The Department received the water testing results in April which
revealed the presence of Legionella
bacteria in the building’s water system that is used for purposes such as
showering, washing hands, and brushing teeth. The hotel
management is taking action to disinfect the building’s water system;
however, the risk of developing Legionnaires’ disease among recent, current,
and future guests is ongoing. The risk of
Legionnaires’ disease among healthy individuals is low. Most healthy people
exposed to Legionella do
not develop Legionnaires’ disease. People over the age of 50, former or
current smokers, or those with certain medical conditions, including weakened
immune systems, chronic lung disease or other chronic health conditions, are
at increased risk for the disease. Guests who
have one of the above risk factors are encouraged to find alternative
accommodations or to take precautions while visiting the hotel to avoid
exposure to water by not showering, limiting use of sinks, and not using tap
water for respiratory equipment. All guests
who recently visited or plan to stay at the hotel should monitor their health
for 14 days for symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease such as fever, cough,
shortness of breath, muscle aches, and headaches. If symptoms develop within
two weeks of their check-out date, they should immediately visit their
healthcare provider. Guests who stayed at the Hilton/Hampton Parsippany more
than two weeks ago and have not developed symptoms are no longer at risk for
the disease as a result of their visit. The symptoms
are similar to those seen in cases of COVID-19, so it is important to seek
medical care as soon as possible to receive appropriate testing and
treatment. Legionnaires’
disease is treatable with antibiotics, but can cause severe illness and even
death. People can
get Legionnaires’ disease by breathing in aerosolized water (small droplets
of water in the air) containing
Legionella bacteria. Aerosolized water can come from showerheads
and sink faucets, hot tubs, decorative fountains, and cooling towers
(air-conditioning units for large buildings). Less commonly, people can get
sick by aspiration of tap water containing Legionella. This happens when water
accidently goes into the lungs while drinking (“goes down the wrong pipe”).
People at increased risk of aspiration water include those with swallowing
difficulties. Please call
your Local Health Department if you were diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease
after visiting the Hilton/Hampton Inn Parsippany Hotel. In February 2022, the
Department has distributed a request to public health agencies across the
state and country to report cases of Legionnaires’ disease with a travel
history to Parsippany-Troy Hills. Other state Health Departments can report
cases among their residents to New Jersey Department of Health’s Communicable
Disease Service at (609) 826-5964. For more
information on Legionnaire’s disease, please visit the Department website at https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/legion.shtml Follow
the New Jersey Department of Health on Twitter @njdeptofhealth, Facebook /njdeptofhealth,
Instagram @njdeptofhealth and
LinkedIn /company/njdeptofhealth |
This information has been broadcast to: Animal Health Organizations; Animal Health Professionals; Blood Banks; Community Health Centers (FQHCs); Emergency Medical Services / First Responders; EMS Council; Long-term Care; Health Care Facilities / Other; Health Care Organizations; Health Care Providers; Hospital Staff Directory; Hospital CEOs; Hospital Emerg Preparedness Coords; Hospital ER Medical Directors; Hospital Infection Control Practitioners; Hospital Medical Directors; Hospital Nursing Directors; Hospital Security Directors; ICU Administrator; Lab Director; Hospitals / Acute Care; Hospitals / Other; Hospitals / Veterans; Labs / Non-Sentinel; Labs / Sentinel; Occupational Health Organizations; Pharmaceutical Suppliers; Health Care Sector; Local Boards of Health; NJDOH Staff; NJLINCS and Local Contacts; NJLINCS Community; Public Health Associations; Public Health Council; Public Health Sector