The Centre for Health Protection has advised people to keep domestic water filters and home respiratory equipment clean after a bacteria causing Legionnaires' disease was found in a 66-year-old patient's oxygen respirator and kitchen tap water filter.

The man developed shortness of breath and a cough on February 1. He was admitted to Queen Mary Hospital February 3 and died five days later. He was confirmed to have been infected with Legionnaires' disease on February 9.

Samples were taken from his Kowloon City home for tests. Legionnella pneumophila, a bacteria causing the disease, was found on swabs from a container and water samples of his oxygen respirator and his kitchen tap water filter.

Further tests are underway to confirm whether the bacteria is the same as that which caused the man's illness, the centre's consultant Dr Thomas Tsang said.

Precautionary measures

The management of the building where the patient lived was advised to clean the water tank as soon as possible. A health talk will be arranged for the concerned residents.

A telephone hotline, 2125 1133, has been set up to answer questions about the disease and proper use of home respiratory therapy equipment. It will be manned until 9pm tonight, and from 9am to 5pm during the weekend.

The centre will send letters to doctors to remind them to advise patients on the proper use of home respiratory therapy equipment.

Healthy tips

To prevent the disease, property managers should clean their building's water tanks regularly. Domestic water filters should be properly maintained and changed regularly.

Home respiratory therapy equipment users should rinse and fill their equipment with sterile water. Sterile water is available for purchase in some drug stores in Hong Kong.

An individual may become less vulnerable to the disease by avoiding smoking and excessive drinking, and maintaining good health.

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