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Nursing Home Resident Tests Positive for Legionella Bacteria

MILTON — A nursing home in Milton is under quarantine. It is not admitting new residents and is discouraging visits for the time being. The quarantine com...

MILTON -- A nursing home in Milton is under quarantine. It is not admitting new residents and is discouraging visits for the time being.

The quarantine comes after a resident tested positive for Legionella bacteria.

A spokesperson for Milton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center did not say how the patient got the legionella bacteria in their system, but that person is being treated on site.

Legionella bacteria causes Legionnaires' disease, which is a serious type of pneumonia.

The center's regional director of operations tells Newswatch 16 it is quarantined as a precautionary measure. They are not accepting new residents and are discouraging visitors, but employees may come and go.

Newswatch 16 spoke with Dr. Stanley Martin, who is the director of infectious diseases at Geisinger Health Systems. He is not treating this patient and was not familiar with this particular situation, but he tells Newswatch 16 Legionella is a bacteria that typically lives in the water. It's not an infection that can transfer from person to person. He says it is a bad pneumonia, and people can get very sick.

Legionella bacteria typically affects smokers, elderly people, and people with weak immune systems.

The center's director of operations told Newswatch 16: "Clinical protocols have been implemented as per recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and the Pennsylvania Department of Health."

A spokesperson for Milton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center tells Newswatch 16 they are not sure how the patient got the legionella bacteria. At this time, no one else is infected.

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