The Baltimore County health department said Friday it is monitoring for Legionnaires' disease at Oakwood Care Center, a 130-bed nursing home in Middle River, after one case was confirmed.
Legionnaires' disease is a kind of pneumonia caused by bacteria that grows naturally in water, and often found in large plumbing systems. It's spread from small droplets of water in the air, and not person to person.
Most people don't get sick, but the disease can be deadly for those who are older and have weakened immune systems, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms can appear up to two weeks after exposure and include aches, fever and shortness of breath.
The CDC said up to 18,000 people are hospitalized each year nationally with the disease. State data shows there were 162 cases last year, including 32 in Baltimore County.
No one at Oakwood could be reached for comment.