Health
3 deaths reported after Legionnaires' disease outbreak at senior living facility
Three senior citizens have died after contracting Legionnaires’ disease — a form of pneumonia that can spread via water — at an assisted living facility in Albany, New York, according to reports.
The Albany County Department of Health was first notified of a “cluster of cases” at Peregrine Senior Living on Aug. 30, according to a statement sent to Fox News Digital.
“We began an immediate investigation and the assisted living facility was placed on water restrictions,” a spokesperson said in the statement.
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A total of 20 people have been hospitalized since Aug. 30.
Half of those tested positive for Legionnaires’, according to the health department.
Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria. The bacteria is usually found in lakes, streams and other freshwater environments. (iStock)
“Three who tested positive have died; two of the people who died were hospitalized for other health issues,” the statement continued.
The New York State Health Department and Albany County Department of Health have tested water samples taken from the facility.
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“Legionella bacteria was present in some samples and further testing is being done on those samples,” the Albany health department told Fox News Digital.
“Peregrine has installed water filters so that some showers and bathrooms are available for use.”
When contacted by Fox News Digital, the New York State Department of Health said it is working closely with the Albany County Department of Health and Peregrine Senior Living to investigate and respond to the outbreak.
A total of 20 people have been hospitalized since Aug. 30, according to the local health department.
“State and county health officials have been on site to collect environmental water samples, which are being tested at the State Department of Health’s Wadsworth Center, and Peregrine has posted signage, implemented water restrictions and installed shower filters at the facility,” the spokesperson said.
“We will continue to work with the facility and county health officials to protect the health and safety of the residents living at Peregrine.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Peregrine Senior Living requesting comment.
What is Legionnaires’ disease?
Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria.
The bacteria is usually found in lakes, streams and other freshwater environments.
However, it can grow and spread indoors via shower heads, sink faucets, hot tubs, water features/fountains, plumbing systems and other water systems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
When people swallow or breathe in droplets of water that contain Legionella, they can potentially become ill with the disease. “Legionellosis is not contagious and cannot be spread from person to person.” (iStock)
When people swallow or breathe in droplets of water that contain Legionella, they can potentially become ill with Legionnaires’ disease.
Although human transmission is possible in rare cases, the disease is not typically spread from person to person, per the CDC.
“Legionellosis is not contagious and cannot be spread from person to person,” the New York State Department of Health confirmed to Fox News Digital. “It is not a communicable disease and there is no threat to the community at large.”
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Individuals at highest risk include smokers and those with coexisting pulmonary disease, according to Dr. Nathan Goodyear, medical director of Brio-Medical in Arizona, previously told Fox News Digital.
“Other risk factors include advancing age, cardiovascular disease, obesity and compromised immune systems,” Goodyear previously told Fox News Digital.
Symptoms of the infection
Symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease usually show up between two and 14 days after exposure.
The signs are similar to other types of pneumonia, and include the following:
- Cough
- Fever
- Shortness of breath
- Muscle aches and headaches
Symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease include cough, fever, shortness of breath, muscle aches and headaches. (iStock)
Some patients may also experience nausea, diarrhea and confusion, the CDC noted.
“The nature of the symptoms is not necessarily what differentiate Legionella from other causes, but history of exposure from ‘human-made reservoirs,’ though this may be hard to discern early on in infection and/or in an outbreak,” said Goodyear.
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“Cancer is also a comorbidity of Legionnaires’ disease,” the doctor added.
Those who have any of these symptoms should seek medical attention immediately, the CDC advises.
Diagnosis, treatment and prevention
Diagnosis of Legionnaires’ disease is made via chest X-ray, urine test and lab analysis of a phlegm sample.
Most people with the disease will recover with a course of antibiotics.
In some patients, however, serious illness can lead to lung failure or death, per the CDC.
Diagnosis of Legionnaires’ disease is made via chest X-ray, urine test and lab analysis of a phlegm sample. (iStock)
Around 10% of people who contract Legionnaires’ disease will die from those complications — and the mortality risk rises to 25% for those who get Legionnaires’ while staying in a health care facility, according to the CDC.
“Treatment needs to be early and aggressive,” Goodyear told Fox News Digital. “Legionella infection is an intracellular infection that requires antibiotic treatment.”
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Antibiotics that are appropriate for Legionella infection include Levofloxacin and Azithromycin.
“Therapy can be prescribed orally in healthy individuals … but intravenous antibiotics often prove to be the initial option for treatment secondary to the pathogenicity of the disease,” Goodyear said.
Around 10% of people who contract Legionnaires’ disease will die from complications, according to the CDC.
Currently, there are no vaccines for the disease.
The best strategy to prevent infection is to reduce the growth and spread of the Legionella bacteria.
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The CDC recommends that building owners and managers use a water management program to reduce the risk.
Most people with the disease will recover with a course of antibiotics. (iStock)
To prevent serious illness from Legionnaires’, Goodyear recommends that all smokers kick the habit, and also emphasizes the need to “aggressively support” chronic pulmonary disease.
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“Advancing age is a given in life, and immune dysfunction correlates with advancing age,” added Goodyear.
“Increasing immune support (vitamin D3, vitamin C, Zinc) is required to counter the immune dysfunction associated with advancing age.”
Obesity is another foundational risk factor for all chronic inflammatory diseases, Goodyear noted.
Anyone who has questions about legionella can visit the Albany County Department of Health’s website at www.albanycountyny.gov/departments/health/legionnaires-disease-legionellosis.
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An accidental lab discovery has opened the door to entirely new ways of preventing the flu.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells, SWNS reported.
By targeting the specific molecules the viruses rely on, scientists found that they could block them from entering new cells and halt their replication altogether.
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Researchers say these “fundamental insights” into seasonal influenza highlight a clear path toward developing better preventive medications.
“The hope is that fundamental, curiosity-based research like this helps to pave the way for novel strategies to treat and prevent influenza infections,” principal investigator Dr. Emily Bruce, from the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine, said in the SWNS report.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells. (iStock)
While several flu strains cause illness, H1N1 and H3N2 influenza A viruses are the most common. However, current flu tests cannot differentiate between them, and clinical treatments are identical for both.
Although vaccines and antivirals are available, Bruce noted a “dire” need for better medications to stop the virus from spreading cell to xxcell.
“You don’t get sick when a virus is in one cell,” he noted. “You get sick because a virus replicates itself and goes into many more cells.”
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The study, which was published in The Journal of Virology, originally aimed to map how viral RNA segments are transported within cells to create new viral particles.
The team used H1N1 and H3N2 viruses isolated from the nasal passages of positive patients in 2022.
Clinical treatments remain identical for both primary strains of the flu virus. (iStock)
During the investigation, the team unexpectedly stumbled upon a cellular pathway that blocked the virus from entering lung cells, SWNS reported.
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The data revealed that when a specific human protein called Rab11B was depleted, H3N2 viruses failed to enter human lung cells. H1N1 viruses were completely unaffected.
Using reverse genetics, the team mapped this defect and uncovered a brand-new, H3N2-specific role for Rab11B during viral entry.
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This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way.
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“Viruses are like pirates from different countries hijacking someone’s ship,” Bruce said. “Different viruses, like different types of pirates, use different methods to get onboard.”
This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way. (iStock)
“We had previously thought that all flu viruses used the same way to get into a cell, but we discovered that this is not true,” she went on. “H1N1 and H3N2 need different proteins to get in, and if you get rid of the right protein, a specific virus can’t get in.”
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While these findings identify a critical cellular pathway for viral entry, the study was conducted using isolated cells, the researchers acknowledged.
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Further research is needed to determine whether blocking the protein is safe and effective within a live, complex human respiratory system.
Bruce and the team hope to conduct further research to determine whether this Rab11B-dependency is a fundamental property of H3N2, or if it’s a trait unique to currently circulating flu strains.
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Eating processed meat like ham, sausage and bacon may be linked to a higher risk of certain types of cancer, according to new research.
While health organizations have already confirmed that processed meat can contribute to colon cancer, this study looked closer at cancers in the upper digestive tract, where the link has historically been less clear.
To understand these connections, researchers from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), one of the world’s largest long-term nutrition and cancer cohorts, tracked the health and diets of 450,112 people across Europe for an average of 14 years.
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The study group included 131,426 men and 318,686 women, according to the study’s press release.
During the follow-up period, 876 people developed stomach cancer and 215 people developed esophageal adenocarcinoma, which is cancer of the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach.
For female participants, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk of developing the disease. (iStock)
Researchers tracked where the stomach cancers grew, separating them into the upper part of the stomach near the throat and the lower part of the stomach.
The researchers also sorted the tumors into two categories based on how the cancer cells appeared under a microscope: intestinal, which forms more organized structures, and diffuse, in which the cells are more scattered throughout the tissue.
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After adjusting for other lifestyle factors, the researchers found that for every extra 30 grams of processed meat a person ate per day, their overall risk of stomach cancer went up by 9%. Eating that same extra 30 grams a day was also linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma.
A standard single slice of regular deli-sliced ham or lunch meat averages around 28 grams, according to USDA data and nutritional tracking databases.
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken and turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach. (iStock)
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken or turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach, the researchers noted.
The study also revealed differences between men and women. For male participants, only processed meat showed a clear, statistically significant link to a higher risk of stomach cancer. For female participants, however, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk.
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These findings align with global health benchmarks, particularly those established by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The agency has long classified processed meat as a known human carcinogen, primarily due to its strong, well-documented links to colorectal cancer.
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However, health organizations have also consistently pointed to a potential, yet less definitive, relationship between these meats and cancers of the stomach.
Eating 30 grams of processed meat a day, or the equivalent to one slice of ham, was linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. (iStock)
Further scientific investigation is needed to confirm the findings and to account for other underlying risk factors, such as certain stomach infections, which could interact with dietary habits.
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A key limitation of the study is its reliance on self-reported diets, which can sometimes lead to inaccuracies in how participants recall their meat consumption over time, the researchers noted.
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The findings were published in the International Journal of Cancer.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers requesting comment.
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