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National Legislation
Several outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease have been recordedworldwide
since 1976, when it was made the first re-isolation of this bacterium. Portugal
is no exception.
Risk minimization is the main objective of the legislation and technical
standards that have since been adopted by many countries worldwide.
These measures include proper maintenance procedures of artificial
water systems, setting the frequency of interventions, monitoring relevant
parameters, sampling methodology and study of the most suitable products
for disinfection. (Afonso Silva, A., Lança, I.)
In Portugal, the first guidelines on the Control and Prevention of the
Legionnaires’ Disease, appeared in 2001, in the form of control procedures
directed to the hotel units denominated as “Practical Guide - Legionnaires’
Disease. Control procedures in tourism” - authoredby theGeneralDirectorate
of Health and the General Directorate of Tourism.
Also, the Regional Public Health Centre of the Northern region issued
a Check List for hotels and other tourism facilities entitled Legionnaires’
disease - risk reduction.
On the 2nd of July of 2003, the European Parliament and Council,
through the decision 2119/98/EC, approved the guidelines for the Control
and Prevention of Legionnaires’ Disease, covering the following topics:
• Legionnaires’ disease and travelling;
• Definitions and Procedures for communication and response in case
of Legionnaires’ disease associated with travelling;
