Legionnaires’ Disease Case Study, April 2001

When three workers in a Buffalo, New York office building were diagnosed with Legionnaires’ Disease, the community looked for an effective and immediate solution to the problem.  In addition to the Legionnaires’, workers claimed they suffered from respiratory problems affiliated with Sick Building Syndrome. 

County and state health officials inspected the building to assess the situation and called on FP Technologies for technical assistance.  Our company was charged with three primary objectives:
1. Inspect the building structure and identify areas of possible contamination
2. Take environmental sampling
3. Report results and suggest solutions

In the course of the investigation, the FP response team discovered that the building’s HVAC system was home to several species of pathogens. Our team reported to the county health officials that Ultra Violet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) installed in the building’s air handlers would rectify the problem.

FP’s UVGI system, VIGILAIR®, prevents bacteria, fungi and viruses from proliferating on surfaces and in water inside the HVAC’s air handler.  HVAC systems are an ideal environment for pathogen growth because they offer water, darkness and an abundant food source for microbes.  VIGILAIR® uses UVGI and filtration to rid the ventilation system of these pathogens.

Since the installation of VIGILAIR® inside the building’s HVAC system, Legionnaires’ Disease has not returned, giving evidence to the technology’s ability to act as an effective Legionnaires’ countermeasure. 

Source: “Legionnaires’ is worrisome to workers”, Buffalo News, April 7, 2001.