DEACON

Hi,

We have somebody staying in our villa who has a very weak immune system and is worried about contracting legionnaires through the solar water heating system and they have been told there is a high risk in Turkey and Greece. Does anyone know if any chemicals can be added to the tank and if so who we should contact. Our villa is in the Side Antalya area.

Thanks Denise

wiuru

Hi there make sure your friends go to the Doctor and have their injections up dated for travelling abroad. Haven't heard anything about Legionnaires disease but better to be safe than sorry.

Good luck

Anne xx

Yildez

My understanding is that it's caught from water vapour in systems that are polluted/mouldy/dirty - ie hotels, hospitals etc. Not sure how this applies to a standard domestic system. Also I don't think that you can take preventative steps - injections - against it. In 20 years of visiting Turkey I have never heard that it is high risk, and can't recall any incidents in the Turkish newspapers etc.

Harem

It is mostly from air conditioning units, not solar systems for providing hot water.

KayaKoyuOldBoy

I would think that they've got more chance of catching something in the confined space of the plane than out here!

wiuru

When we first visited Turkey 3 years ago I asked the doctor did we need any injections to visit, and he told me if we were staying at a tourist area then no, but if we planned to go more inland then yes. If your friend has a low immune system i would advise him to get these injections to be on the safe side.

Also my sons girlfriend is a first year student nurse and has her work placement in a Hospital, so because of this she has been advised to have the injections before visiting us. Of course no one should travel anywhere without travel health insurance.

Hope your friend has a fabulous time, will this be his first visit to Turkey?

Good Luck

Anne xx

alison09400

Yes I've been told it can be caught via air-con units, so Siemens advised us to buy their special spray which has to be used on all our units once a month. They told me it was to help protect against Legionnaires Disease. A large spray cost 20ytl.

I've never heard of it being caught through hot water systems.

shirleyanntr

the bacteria which causes this disease can be found in air cons and whirl pools..etc..anywhere where there is contaminated water where droplets from it are dispersed through the air...such as in humidifiers sprays spas whirlpools and so on.
İts not a common disease..its quite rare.
İf there is a problem with the immune system i would agree with kkob..more risk on the plane ..a confined warm place with passengers neatly packed in with bug carrying strangers!
i wonder where they got the idea that there is more of this disease in Greece and Turkey?

sparrow

I have never heard it could be cought from the Aircon as I understand the Legionella bacteria needs water to multiply, warm water around 20 to 55° C, above 55°C the bacteria dies
The main problem is water that has been standing still, because if there is much movement in the water , they won't multiply
Possible precautions :
- the temperature in the boiler should be put at 60°C
- before taking a shower, let the water run at high temperature for some time before entering it
- and for pools : there is no risk if they are cleaned properly

So, Aircon in the plane is very unlikely, unless it is a system where water is used