But scientists at Public Health England (PHE) have found that the killer organism is on the increase in domestic homes. Increasing incidence of the deadly Legionnaire 's disease in the UK may be due to showers , government experts have warned , with up to 1.5 million households in England potentially carrying the potentially fatal legionella organism . Research showed that people are becoming infected when they inhale tiny airborne droplets of bacteria - ridden water coming from the showers and , although the disease has previously been linked to large buildings like hotels because of their complex ventilation systems , increasingly it is appearing in homes , particularly where showers and taps have not been used for a few years .
Increasing incidence of the deadly Legionnaire 's disease in the UK may be due to showers , government experts have warned , with up to 1.5 million households in England potentially carrying the potentially fatal legionella organism . Research showed that people are becoming infected when they inhale tiny airborne droplets of bacteria - ridden water coming from the showers and , although the disease has previously been linked to large buildings like hotels because of their complex ventilation systems , increasingly it is appearing in homes , particularly where showers and taps have not been used for a few years .