Dr. Mustafa Faysal Baysal warns of Legionella risk in central cooling systems

Chest disease specialist Dr. Mustafa Faysal Baysal of Medline Adana Hospital explained that Legionella bacteria thrive in central air‑conditioning units, water tanks, showerheads and hot‑water installations. The bacteria spreads through inhalation of contaminated droplets, causing Legionnaires’ disease – often referred to as “climate pneumonia.”

He cautioned that inadequate maintenance of these systems can lead to severe pneumonia, especially in older adults, smokers, people with chronic lung disease, diabetes, weakened immune systems or those undergoing cancer treatment. Symptoms include high fever, cough, breathlessness, muscle aches, fatigue and sometimes diarrhoea, appearing 2–10 days after exposure. Early diagnosis relies on patient history, lung imaging and laboratory tests, and prompt antibiotic therapy can greatly improve outcomes.

Dr. Baysal urged regular inspections and cleaning of central cooling installations by expert teams, highlighting the particular danger in hotels, hospitals, office buildings and other large facilities that use shared HVAC systems.