SAN DIEGO – One of San Diego State University’s buildings is temporarily closed for an investigation after a campus community member was diagnosed with Legionella pneumonia, the university announced Monday.
The Exercise and Nutritional Sciences (ENS) building was blocked off for students, faculty, staff and visitors. It is unknown when it will reopen.
The university’s Environmental Health and Safety team is working closely with the County of San Diego Health & Human Services agency to find the possible origins of the bacteria.
The sick individual is separated from campus and is recovering, according to SDSU. Officials still do not know where they were exposed to the Legionella bacteria.
Regardless, the ENS building will remain closed off, so officials can perform testing.
As of Monday, there was one single case of Legionella pneumonia. It was still not known where the individual was exposed to the bacteria and what if any connection the campus has with the exposure.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says Legionella bacteria are found naturally in freshwater environments, like lakes and streams. The bacteria can become a health concern when they grow and spread in human-made building water systems
Symptoms of Legionella pneumonia include:
- Cough
- Fever
- Shortness of breath
- Muscle aches
- Headaches
The CDC said possible complications of the infection can include lung failure or death.
