CHILLICOTHE — The Chillicothe VA Medical Center is investigating the source of a case of Legionnaire's disease that has been confirmed at the facility.

According to the medical center, doctors reviewing the patient's symptoms felt that Legionnaire's disease, or legionella pneumonia, was possible and the appropriate laboratory tests were ordered. The tests came back positive.

"If legionella pneumonia is suspected, laboratory testing is completed on the patient and a careful (patient) history is reviewed to determine a possible source of the bacteria," said Jessie Williams, public affairs specialist for the medical center. "There is concern for determining the source of the infection, especially in a case that appears to have been contracted by a patient living in a nursing home setting."

The patient was living in one of the medical center's facilities. Williams said the particular type of pneumonia involved normally is contracted by aspirating or inhaling contaminated water droplets and, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost never spreads from person to person. It can be difficult to get rid of the source bacteria permanently, however, Williams added.

"Even though the medical center, like all hospitals, regularly tests the water and takes certain precautions to prevent the growth of the bacteria in the water, sometimes it still is able to grow," Williams said. "The area where this patient was living had no positive tests for legionella, but we must assume he got it there. As a result, we are treating the water supply for that building to be sure that there is no possibility of other bacteria harboring in the water."

While the VA is treating the situation as if the patient came in contact with the bacteria at the medical center, it is continuing to examine whether that was the case.

Because the bacteria is sensitive to antibiotics, the patient is being treated with antibiotics and with other care to address individual symptoms.

The CDC says the legionella bacterium occurs naturally in fresh water and experiences its best growth in warm water found in such places as hot tubs, hot water tanks, large plumbing systems and decorative fountains. The bacteria also grow well in cooling towers, which are commonly found as part of air conditioning systems in large buildings.

People can inhale the bacteria from mist or vapor pushed into the air from such things as large air conditioning systems or hot tubs not cleaned or disinfected properly. Aspirating the bacteria can also occur, for instance, by swallowing contaminated water into the windpipe and lungs when it "goes down the wrong pipe."

According to the CDC, most people who are exposed do not end up falling ill.

Legionnaire's disease is the more serious of the illnesses associated with legionella, bringing coughing, shortness of breath, muscle aches, headaches and high fever with it. Those most at risk include those over 50, former or current smokers, those with a chronic lung issue or those with weakened immune systems. Most who show symptoms require a hospital stay, and in about one in 10 cases, it can be fatal.

The CDC says that an estimated 8,000 and 18,000 people in the United States are hospitalized with the disease each year, but that only about 3,000 cases are actually reported to the agency.

The lesser of the legionella illnesses is known as Pontiac fever, according to the CDC, and usually manifests itself as a mild case of the flu. The agency also notes that the best way to protect yourself from contracting the disease in your home is to ensure that water systems are properly maintained. If you are going to use a hot tub, the agency suggests using pool test strips to check levels of free chlorine, bromine and pH to make sure they are high enough to kill the bacteria and reporting it to the tub operator if they are not.

The Ross County Health District has stated that it is available to work with the Chillicothe VA on the local case.

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