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Experts speak on legionnaires' disease confirmed at Methodist Village nursing home

Officials say legionnaires' disease can only spread through contaminated water, but it can be serious in older populations.

FORT SMITH, Ark — According to the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH), a case of legionnaires' disease has been confirmed at the Methodist Village Senior Living (MVSL) facility in Fort Smith.

ADH says about 10% of people who get sick with Legionnaires' disease will die due to complications, and about "1 out of every 4 people" who get Legionnaire's disease during a stay in a healthcare facility will die.

No deaths have been reported by the ADH at this time.

Legionnaires' disease is very similar to other types of pneumonia, with symptoms that include coughing, shortness of breath, fever, muscle aches, or headaches.

An official with MVSL states they are not sure where the resident contracted the case, as the resident was "out of our building for a time," and that they are testing their water systems now.

Rachel Bunch, Executive Director for the Arkansas Healthcare Association said in a quote on behalf of Methodist Village,  "We have implemented our water management plan and are working in collaboration with the Fort Smith Utility Department and the ADH. Methodist Village Senior Living remains committed to the health and safety of our residents and our employees." 

Dr. Kevin Davis at Mercy Clinic in Fort Smith said the disease is caused by breathing in droplets of liquid that contain legionella bacteria.

“Any sort of contaminated liquid or fluid that was getting into a person's lungs that would be quite how you would contract it,” said Dr. Davis. “Air conditioning units, contaminated standing bodies of water, potentially even through drinking contaminated water." 

Officials say legionnaires' disease can only spread through contaminated water and can not be transmitted from person to person. It can be serious in older populations and the immunocompromised. 

"It tends to affect people who are in older age groups, usually 65 and older, or patients who have immunosuppressive conditions," said Dr. Davis. “It can be very severe, which is a reason why it is monitored." 

He said it's a somewhat rare disease because it's not a common test doctors do. 

“There are probably cases of this that go undetected and are just treated without knowing which bacteria is being treated. So the true rate in the community is not going to be well known. It's probably going to be underreported because the testing is not commonplace," said Dr. Davis. 

5NEWS will update this story as we learn more.

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