Legionella pneumophila is water-borne and can be spread through inhalation of water particles. The bacteria causes a form of pneumonia, known as Legionnaire’s disease, which is fatal nearly half of the time in its hospital-acquired form, according to the National Institutes of Health. Director of Infection Control at IU Health, Doug Webb, MD, says it is unclear whether the patients came to the hospital already infected with the bacteria or acquired the illness in the hospital.
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IU Health has taken chemical and physical measures to ensure any bacteria in the water supply, regardless of whether or not it caused the patient deaths, has been eradicated, according to the report.
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