University employee tests positive for Legionnaires’ disease

Officials at a suburban Philadelphia university say an employee has tested positive for Legionnaires’ disease and eight campus buildings had higher-than-acceptable levels of the bacteria.

West Chester University officials told more than 1,000 employees in an email Wednesday that steps were being taken to kill the Legionella bacteria that were found in the buildings’ cooling towers.

A remediation firm is treating the affected cooling towers Wednesday and Thursday to eliminate the bacteria.

Officials say the university was informed of the employee’s illness on July 6 and water samples were taken from the cooling towers three days later. The test results came in last week.

No classes are currently being held on the campus.

Legionnaires’ disease is a severe form of pneumonia spread by bacteria commonly found in water supplies.