Company shuts doors due to disease

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Company shuts doors due to disease

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BY KIM NORRIS

Detroit FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

June 23, 2006

The state's largest insurance company closed one of its downtown

Detroit offices and gave 350 workers two paid days off after

inspectors discovered the bacterium that causes Legionnaire's

disease in the building's water supply.

One worker for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan was diagnosed with

the pneumonia-like disease a week ago, prompting the insurance

company to call in professionals to check the air conditioning and

water system at the seven-story building on Jefferson. Tests to the

air conditioning system proved negative. But when traces of the

bacteria were found on some toilets and drinking fountains, the

company decided to turn off the water, chlorinate it and restart it,

a process expected to take a couple of days, a company spokeswoman

said.

" Our first priority is the health and well-being of the workers, "

spokeswoman Helen Stojic said Thursday.

Legionnaires' disease -- so called because it was first diagnosed

when it killed 34 people attending an American Legion convention in

Philadelphia in 1976 -- is caused by the Legionella bacteria, which

thrive in stagnant, warm water. Outbreaks of this disease have been

associated with cooling towers, showers, faucets, hot tubs/whirlpool

spas and other sources of aerosolized water.

People can contract the disease by breathing vapor from a

contaminated water supply. It is not transmitted from person to

person.

The stricken Blue Cross Blue Shield employee is being treated and is

recovering, said Stojic, who declined to elaborate or identify the

worker. There have been no other cases identified at the company,

she said.

The company expects to reopen the building Monday.