Legionellosis
Information for Patients and the Public
Legionellosis is reportable to the Connecticut Department of Public Health (CT DPH) by physicians and laboratories, and to the patient's local health department. To identify possible common sources of exposure, staff of the CT DPH Epidemiology and Emerging Infections Program conduct follow-up on all cases of legionellosis as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Follow-up means that program staff call both the reporting physician and the patient to ask questions that can help identify the cause of infection. Staff will ask questions about your activities during the 10-14 days before you started feeling ill. For example, you may be asked things like:
- Did you travel and stay overnight at a hotel?
- Did you use a hot tub?
- Did you visit a health care facility?
Staff will use that information to determine likely sources of Legionella bacteria. Please answer all of the questions as best you can. Your answers will help us with prevention so that other people in your community can stay healthy. We greatly appreciate your cooperation.
For more information about legionellosis (Legionnaires’ disease and Pontiac fever), please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.