Legionairres ?

[TheOtherHalf]

I always thought you could only catch this disease from drinking contaminated water. How can you possibly catch it from a washed windscreen ? especially if its been cleaned by one of those hot high power washes

[daffy654]

It does sound unlikely but the legionella bacteria can colonise any water source.

[sandyRoe]

It's inhaling infected water droplets that causes the problems.

[bibblebub]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/10293519.stm

The south-west branch of the Health Protection Agency carried out a questionnaire of people infected.

"They found that those most at risk were those who drove or travelled in a van, those who drove through industrial areas, and those who spent a lot of time in the car or who often had the car window open."

"In all they found that the biggest risk was associated with not adding screenwash to windscreen wiper water, the European Journal of Epidemiology reports. "

So they haven't proved this outright, it's just that the statistics seem to suggest that it is likely.

[chokkie]

As sandyroe said, it's inhaling infected/stagnant water droplets that's the problem. I also heard on the radio this morning that once you put screenwash into the water, the screenwash kills the pesky germs.

[TheOtherHalf]

so sales of windscreen wash will rocket and so will the price !! Someone will jump on the bandwagon

[jake-the-peg]

British Lung Foundation's previous research is at odds with this:

http://www.lunguk.org.../legionnaires-disease

How common is Legionnaires’ disease?
It is uncommon. There are between 120 and 200 cases each year in the UK - only 1-2% of all recorded cases of pneumonia. Nearly 50% of cases are related to recent foreign travel and this may explain why most cases seem to happen in the late summer and early autumn.

Late summer and early autumn is not when most people most use their windscreen washer jets.

With such a small number of cases I think I'll find something else to worry about

[jacksprat16]

the other half
the answer is for you
don't buy any screen wash,it's not compulsory

[TheOtherHalf]

I dont buy things for the car anyway, but I thinks he always has put windscreen wash in.

[McMouse]

Screen wash isn't compulsory but anti-freeze is.

[pastafreak]

I seem to remember the first known case to be in Pennsylvania back in the '70's...and caused by a the air-conditioning system at the hotel that was hosting an American Legion convention.
According to Wiki-it can be any number of sources of contaminated water..

" Potential sources of such contaminated water include cooling towers used in industrial cooling water systems as well as in large central air conditioning systems, evaporative coolers, hot water systems, showers, whirlpool spas, architectural fountains, room-air humidifiers, ice making machines, misting equipment, and similar disseminators that draw upon a public water supply. "

[jacksprat16]

anti freeze is advisable NOT compulsory McMouse
you won't get a fine for not having any in

[McMouse]

According to the Road Traffic Act 1988, it is an offence:

"To use cause or permit another to use a motor vehicle or trailer
on a road which might, for whatever reason, involve a danger of
injury to any person."

If a motorist's windscreen is obscured by a layer of grot which cannot be washed away by virtue of the screen wash reservoir being empty or frozen then a passing PC Plod could nick them under the RTA.

[jackthehat]

I don't think you mean 'anti-freeze' mcmouse................that goes in your rad. system !?!

[McMouse]

Screenwash usually has antifreeze in it to stop it freezing. It is a legal requirement to have a functioning screenwash system and if it was frozen then it wouldn't work.