Students not at risk for Legionnaires'
High school teacher diagnosed with disease lives in Ocean County
BY JAY BODAS
Staff Writer

There is no evidence a Woodbridge high school teacher contracted Legionnaires' disease at the high school earlier this month, a township health official said.

Students and teachers are in no danger of contracting the disease, which is not spread through human contact, said Dennis Green, the township health officer.

Green made the statement after health and school officials inspected the high school on April 12, the day after they were notified by the Ocean County Health Department that the teacher, who lives in Ocean County, was diagnosed with the illness.

"We talked to the Board of Education and administration and made an appointment to go out the next day to do an inspection," Green said. "We went through the areas that we thought could be conducive to transmitting Legionnaires', such as the ventilation systems and things like that."

The teacher is currently not teaching at the school, said Schools Superintendent Vincent Smith. He could not confirm if the teacher is expected to return or give information about the teacher's condition.

"The teacher is out of school," Smith said. "I can't speak for him, but I know he is not back as of yet. The teacher is a male, but I cannot confirm [his identity] any further," he said.

There have been no additional cases reported, Smith said.

Legionnaires' disease is not transmitted by human contact. People usually contract the disease after inhaling a mist or vapor that has been contaminated by the Legionella bacteria.

"It is a common bacteria, and the only time it becomes a problem healthwise is when it becomes airborne in fine water droplets," Green said. "Since it's not communicable between people, that's why it's important to check for any type of systems that would cause this type of illness."

This is the second case of Legionnaires' disease reported in Ocean County this year, and the sixth case in the state overall, said Ocean County Health Department spokesman Edward Rumen.

The disease traces its name to a 1976 American Legion convention in Philadelphia, where the disease killed 34 and sickened more than 100 others.

The bacteria grows best in warm water, such as in hot tubs, in large plumbing systems, and in parts of air-conditioning systems of large buildings, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Web site.

Woodbridge High School does not have central air conditioning. That would reduce the chances of Legionnaires' being spread through the school, Green said.

Mold was found in one room during the school inspection, but it was not related to Legionnaires' disease, he said.

"The mold is not important in respect to the Legionnaires', but it was another issue that can be a problem," Green said.

Smith confirmed that the mold growth had been cleaned up.