Legionnaires' disease risk factor study

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Investigating whether vehicle windscreen wiper fluid a risk factor for Legionnaires’ disease in England

• IRAS ID

  210429

• Contact name

  Daniel Gardiner

• Contact email

  daniel.gardiner@phe.gov.uk

• Duration of Study in the UK

  2 years, 0 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  This study seeks to provide evidence that windscreen wiper fluid contaminated with legionella is a risk factor for Legionnaires’ disease and that adding screen-wash (a commercially available chemical product) is protective. If these associations are found, promotion of increased use of screen-wash may be a simple and effective public health intervention to reduce the number of cases of Legionnaires’ disease.

  Previous studies have found supporting evidence for this hypothesis and this study hopes to add to this.

• REC name

  North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 1 Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  17/NE/0189

• Date of REC Opinion

  8 Jun 2017

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion