Susanne Surman-Lee, BSc.(Hons), Ph.D. C.Biol., FRSB, FRSPH, FIHEEM, FWM.Soc, MPWTAG
Director and Co-Owner, Leegionella Ltd.
Dr. Susanne Surman-Lee is a State Registered Clinical Scientist (Public Health Microbiologist) with over 45 years’ experience in clinical and public health microbiology. She is a specialist advisor/authorizing engineer to NHS Trusts and the private health care sector on water safety management. Susanne is the Programme Director for the Royal Society for Public Health’s Water Webinar Series and Chair of the RSPH Water Special Interest Group. She has been involved for almost 20 years in the development of national and international guidelines with the World Health Organization, national and international regulators, and the British Standards Institute. She chaired the panel that produced BS 8680:2020, Water Quality-Water Safety Plans Code of Practice, and chairs the panel writing BS 8580-2, the water quality risk assessment for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other waterborne pathogens. She chaired the ESCMID Study Group for Legionella Infections working group that produced the Technical Guidelines for the Prevention, Control and Investigation of Infections Caused by Legionella and also the guidance series for managing building water systems during COVID.
ESGLI Guidance for Managing Legionella in Building Water Systems During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Abstract: As a result of the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic there have been many changes to the way buildings are used. The European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) Study Group for Legionella Infections (ESGLI) has a long history of developing technical guidance aimed at keeping water systems associated with travel accommodation safe, including during periods of intermittent (seasonal) use and to ensure travel related Legionnaires’ disease investigations were consistent across Europe. In 2017 this guidance was extended to include public buildings. This group was the first to publish comprehensive guidance for those providing travel accommodation on how to manage their water systems to keep them safe during lockdown and how to re-open safely. In addition, guidance was developed for high-risk water systems including those in new or modified emergency facilities (Nightingale Hospitals), care homes and hotels for patients highly susceptible to waterborne illness and for dental practices. This guidance has been widely acclaimed and included in guidance issued by the regulatory authorities. An overview of the guidance and the considerations that went into its development are presented.