Home >
Sample letter to Hotel
Download PDF with editable fields 
PDF 21KB
Note to health departments:
If a person with Legionnaires' disease stayed at a hotel during any part of his/her incubation period, then CDC recommends that state and local health departments inform the hotel. Even though it is very difficult to prove that a single case of Legionnaires' disease was acquired from a particular hotel, communication with the hotel provides an opportunity to increase awareness of Legionnaires' disease and to reduce risk of Legionella transmission in the future. Guidelines for minimizing the risk of Legionellosis associated with building water systems are referenced in the sample letter.
The following sample letter may be used on your own letterhead, included as a whole or copied in any part without our permission to inform a hotel in your state about a single case of Legionnaires' disease.
Date________________
Dear Hotel Management:
It has come to our attention that a recent guest of your hotel has been diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease. Legionnaires' disease is a serious form of pneumonia that is spread from aerosolized water that has Legionella bacteria. We are providing this letter to you for your information only.
Hotel spas, whirlpools, and showers have previously been shown to be sources of Legionnaires' disease outbreaks. People get Legionnaires' disease when they breathe in a mist or vapor (small droplets of water in the air) that has been contaminated with the bacteria. One example might be from breathing in the bubbles from a whirlpool spa that has not been properly cleaned and disinfected. The bacteria are not spread from one person to another person.
Legionella bacteria are common in the environment and can persist unless proper steps are taken to remove it. While there are currently no legal restrictions or actions required for this specific situation, we are informing you to ensure that you have updated information, to help you minimize the risk of Legionella contamination in your buildings' water systems.
You may wish to review your water maintenance procedures to help minimize future risk. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers has developed Guideline 12-2000 "Minimizing the Risk of Legionellosis Associated with Building Water Systems". This document is available at www.ashrae.org, as well as at www.baltimoreaircoil.com, and www.marleyct.com/publications.asp.
It is possible that other guests will contact you because they know of other persons with Legionnaires' disease or because they believe that they have had Legionnaires' disease. Please let us know immediately if you are informed of other cases related to your hotel, whether the guests were local, out-of-state, or international.
We are here to answer your questions and to make your hotel safe and comfortable for your guests. Please do not hesitate to call us at (insert your health dept. number).