PONTIAC, Mich. — The presence of Legionella at the Oakland County courthouse is shrinking, according to county officials.

The county on Monday reported one positive water sample at the courthouse's Circuit Court Tower on Telegraph Road collected Jan. 13-14. This is down from three found during the previous round of testing, according to a county news release.

The county did not find any Legionella at the Medical Examiner's office or the east and west wings of the courthouse complex.

The county has routinely tested the courthouse after a person who contracted Legionnaires' disease in April 2025 said they had visited the building in their exposure period. The testing was conducted after a county sheriff's office employee was hospitalized with Legionnaires' disease in November.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Legionnaires' disease is a serious type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria. Symptoms — which usually develop 2 to 14 days after exposure to Legionella bacteria, though it can take longer — include cough, fever, headaches, muscle aches, and shortness of breath

Legionella is a bacterium that occurs naturally in freshwater like lakes and streams. It can grow in water sources like water pipes, water heaters, and water storage tanks.

The county on Jan. 22 announced the Sheriff's Administration Building was free of Legionella after samples were taken at the building earlier this month, down from six fixtures testing positive in November.

The presence of Legionella in the two buildings has prompted the county to flush the water systems for its facilities and install filters on fixtures.

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