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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — An Arkansas veterans hospital has completed treating its water system after finding low levels of Legionella bacteria.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/1CvNHjJ ) that the treatment at the Fayetteville Veterans Affairs hospital follows the diagnosis of Legionella pneumonia for a patient at the hospital.
Wanda Shull, a VA spokeswoman, says about 20 patients were moved to different rooms after the discovery of the bacteria. Shull says the patients were returned to their rooms Sunday after a hyper-chlorinate treatment was completed on the water system. The treatment uses higher-than-normal levels of chlorine to kill the bacteria.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says Legionella bacteria grow in water and spread through water molecules. They can cause a mild infection called Pontiac fever or a more serious infection known as Legionnaires' disease.
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Information from: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, http://www.arkansasonline.com
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