- With Mayo Clinic emeritus internist
Edward C. Rosenow III, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Edward C. Rosenow III, M.D.
Edward C. Rosenow III, M.D.
Dr. Edward Rosenow III sees a natural link between the Information Age and health care as a way to promote better health. Dr. Rosenow, a Columbus, Ohio, native, is board certified in internal medicine and pulmonary disease and worked in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. He retired from clinical practice in 1996 after 30 years' service at Mayo Clinic.
"It has always been my feeling that the better informed the patient is about his or her body and its functions, the better the patient-physician partnership," he says. "The informed patient is in turn more compliant with the physician's recommendations and better able to make intelligent decisions about health care needs."
Dr. Rosenow is a former Arthur M. and Gladys D. Gray Professor of Medicine and former chair of the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Mayo Clinic. He was also president of the American College of Chest Physicians, consultant to NASA on the Space Station Freedom project, president of the Mayo Clinic staff, a regent with the American College of Chest Physicians and program director of the internal medicine residency program at Mayo Clinic.
During his distinguished career, Dr. Rosenow was a five-time Teacher of the Year in internal medicine and inducted into the Mayo Fellows Hall of Fame of Outstanding Teachers.
In 1994, he won the Distinguished Mayo Clinician Award from Mayo Clinic staff and in 1995 was honored with the Ralph O. Claypoole Sr. Memorial Award for Lifetime Dedication to Patient Care by the American College of Physicians. He was named to a mastership by the American College of Physicians in 1998 and that year also won the Mayo Foundation Distinguished Alumnus Award. He is also a Master Fellow in the American College of Chest Physicians. In 2008, a professorship was established in his name — the Edward C. Rosenow III, M.D., Mayo Professorship in the Art of Medicine.
Dr. Rosenow has contributed to 156 publications, including 48 book chapters and one co-authored book.
Mayo Clinic Health Manager
Get free personalized health guidance for you and your family.
Get Started
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Question
Hot tub lung: Am I at risk?
What is "hot tub lung"? How can I prevent it?
Answer
from Edward C. Rosenow III, M.D.
"Hot tub lung" is an uncommon infection or allergic reaction of the lungs due to inhaling the bacterium Mycobacterium avium (M. avium) from a hot tub. M. avium belongs to the same class of bacteria that cause tuberculosis, but it's not contagious.
Hot tubs provide an ideal environment for the growth of bacteria, such as M. avium. Bacterial growth is more likely to occur in tubs that aren't cleaned as often as recommended. Also, added chlorine loses most of its disinfectant properties at temperatures above 84 F (29 C).
The bacteria get into your lungs when the bubbling hot tub water evaporates. The bubbles rise to the surface, burst and disperse the bacteria into the air. Hot tub lung can be easily prevented by properly maintaining your hot tub, or asking about the maintenance of hot tubs at spas or hotels.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends these guidelines for the proper treatment and maintenance of water in hot tubs:
- 2 to 5 parts per million (ppm) of chlorine
- 7.2 to 7.8 pH level
During operation, test the water frequently. Also, clean the system and change the water once a month or more often according to the manufacturer's recommendations.
When using a hot tub you don't maintain, you can ask:
- To see records of the most recent health inspection of the hot tub
- If the chlorine and pH levels of the hot tub are checked at least twice daily
- If chlorine and pH levels are checked when the hot tub is most heavily used
- If the maintenance staff of the pool has had specialized training to operate a hot tub
If you do not believe a hot tub has been properly maintained, don't enter it. Even with proper precautions, there is still a small risk you could become infected. Signs and symptoms of M. avium infection usually include:
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- Fever or chills
- Wet cough
- Tightness in the chest
Your doctor may make a diagnosis of hot tub lung based on:
- Chest X-rays
- Computerized tomography (CT) scans of the lungs
- Removal of lung tissue (biopsy) for microscopic examination and culture
Treatment of hot tub lung includes:
- Discontinuing use of the hot tub
- Corticosteroids
- Supplemental oxygen, in severe cases
The role of antibiotics in the treatment of this condition is controversial. In many cases, the inflammation seems to be a hypersensitivity reaction that improves without antibiotic treatment.
