Elevated legionella levels in kindergarten
The human immune system is not fully developed from birth. Babies only have an unspecific immune defense, which is only able to prevent the spread of germs to a limited extent. A mature, highly specialized immune system is not present until around the age of ten. For this reason, children are generally more susceptible to pathogens than adults.
Date: 26.08.2022 | Reading time: 4. Min.
The right preparation
The fragile immune system of babies and small children often has little resistance to microbiological contamination in drinking water. It is therefore important to act quickly if pathogens such as enterococci, pseudomonads, coliform bacteria or legionella are detected in the drinking water installations of crèches or nurseries. The latter pose a particular risk because they do not enter the body by drinking the water, but via the respiratory tract. There they can cause flu-like illnesses and severe pneumonia and, in the worst case, lead to death.
We were called in when elevated legionella levels were detected in the hot water treatment system of a kindergarten in Gütersloh. As this was in direct contact with children (hand shower for the personal hygiene of small children (changing table etc.)), a quick and effective solution was required. This was a relatively new installation, but there were still dead pipes. These are difficult to reach via thermal disinfection. In addition, there is usually a biofilm on their inner walls that protects against legionella and other germs.
The solution
We used the BEULCO disinfection box in conjunction with the BEULCO Clean. This had the advantage that the disinfection could easily be carried out over a weekend without having to take any additional safety precautions. The disinfection was crowned with success, so that the drinking water no longer poses a risk to the little ones.