OUTBREAKS
2004
6th International Conference on Legionella will be held in
Chicago,
Illinois - October 16-20, 2005
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OUTBREAKS
2004
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Experts search TRW Plant looking for clues to illness
February 05, 2004
Clayton Testing Services specialists scoured the TRW Plant in Sterling Heights on Wednesday looking for the possible cause of an illness commonly called Legionnaire's disease.
Manley Ford, communication specialist for TRW's main headquarters in Livonia, said the firm's 370 employees were informed Tuesday that one of its employees at the Van Dyke and 15 Mile Road plant was diagnosed with the disease, which is sometimes fatal and similar to influenza.
The unidentified employee is being treated in a hospital.
"We met with our employees on Tuesday after we found out late Monday that our employee had the disease," said Ford. "We gave our employees some basic facts including cause and symptoms.
TRW has no other employees with Legionellosis. He also said the disease strikes 8,000 to 18,000 Americans each year and can be fatal.
Ford said it is very difficult to trace the source.
"We're looking at our heating, air conditioning and our ventilation systems," Ford said.
"Our ventilation system is maintained on a regular basis."
Ford said Clayton Testing was called in as a precautionary move. He said there is no reason to believe that the infection came from TRW.
TRW operates a manufacturing plant and office area in Sterling Heights. The plant manufactures ball joints, linkage systems and suspension parts.
The normal incubation time for Legionnaire's disease is two days.
The disease acquired its name in 1976 when several people attending an American Legion convention in Philadelphia came down with the illness. The bacterium causing the illness was named Legionella.
Some people
can be infected with Legionella bacterium and have mild symptoms or no
illness at all. The disease usually
occurs as a single, isolated case not associated with any recognized outbreak.
JB Hanson 410 767-6493
Legionellosis (Legionnaires' Disease) Possibly
Associated with Worcester County Hotel
BALTIMORE, MD
February 21, 2004
The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) and Worcester County Health Department are working together to find out why several guests who stayed at the Princess Royale Hotel in Ocean City, Maryland developed legionellosis within a week or so after staying at the hotel. It is not certain that these guests acquired the illness at the hotel. However, because of that possibility, health officials and hotel management are notifying guests of the situation and prevention measures guests can take.
Legionellosis is a form of pneumonia caused by inhaling aerosolized water containing the Legionella bacteria. The bacteria is present in many different man-made and natural water systems. Approximately 2-10 days following exposure to the bacteria, a small number of exposed persons may develop legionellosis. Legionellosis can be treated with antibiotics. Persons at higher risk for legionellosis include smokers, the elderly, persons with chronic lung disease, and those with weakened immune systems because of disease or medications.
The Princess Royale Hotel has been fully cooperating with the Worcester County Health Department and DHMH uring the investigation. Current and incoming guests are being made aware of the situation. Guests are being provided with recommendations that will reduce exposure to aerosols, such as limiting showering, avoiding use of Jacuzzis or the whirlpool spa, and drinking bottled water.
Test results available on February 10 were negative. Additional samples have been taken from water sources in the building and are being cultured for the Legionella bacteria at the DHMH Laboratories. Results are expected back in approximately one week. Notification of guests will continue for at least that time period.
The Worcester County Health Department is providing a representative over the weekend to be on site to answer guests' question. A health department official will be available for media inquiries until 11:00 pm on Saturday, February 21 and between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Sunday, February 22 and during regular hours of operations Monday through Friday
More information about the disease is available
at The
Community Health Administration web site and clicking on the listing
for facts sheets.
Tuesday, February 24, 2004
Four former Princess Royale guests develop disease; water tests show no positive link to hotel
OCEAN CITY
The Princess Royale hotel is "going overboard" to head off a possible public health problem, its general manager said Monday, after health officials started testing its water for Legionnaires' disease.
The Worcester County Health Department said four people who stayed at the 91st Street hotel in recent months have been diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease. The infection is transmitted by breathing in vapor or steam with too much Legionella, a common bacteria.
However, the first tests of water from the hotel, taken in early February, showed no danger to guests. Results from water samples taken last Wednesday are expected Friday or early next week.
"There is not a definite link to the Princess Royale," said Deborah Goeller, the county's health officer. "The last set of water samples that have been done have all been negative."
But she said the health department has found no other link among the four people besides their hotel stays at the Princess Royale in Ocean City.
"We have already looked at every other common factor we could think of," Goeller said. "That begins to raise a certain level of concern."
Robert Bendix, 74, of Salisbury said his wife showed symptoms of the disease after spending several days and nights at the hotel in late January at a Disabled American Veterans conference.
Doctors at Peninsula Regional Medical Center diagnosed Nancy Bendix, 59, with Legionnaires, he said, and she was hospitalized for 17 days.
On Jan. 29, "she got up and she was totally incoherent," he said. "The 17th or 18th (of February) was the first day she recognized me."
Bendix said he believes he avoided the disease because he didn't attend much of the conference's daytime events. His wife is diabetic, he said, which is a risk factor for Legionnaires, and she took several hot showers in a room without an exhaust fan.
Since Saturday, county health workers have been stationed at the hotel, answering guests' questions about the disease. The hotel has voluntarily given guests handouts with information on the disease and how to avoid it.
The hotel notice states people at high risk for the bacteria -- the elderly, smokers, diabetics and people with weak immune systems -- "may wish to consider temporarily relocating to another hotel."
Jon Tremellen, the hotel's general manager, said he was taking more precautions than legally required out of concern for guests' health.
"We're acting like we have something, even though we probably don't," he said. "We're going to go overboard."
Tremellen said hot water tanks and boilers had been scrubbed clean over the weekend, and pipes were being superheated above 150 degrees.
He estimated 54,000 people had used the hotel in the past five months who have not become sick.
Goeller said three of the victims live in Maryland and one lives in Delaware. While she suspects something in the hotel is causing the illnesses, she said no one is certain of it yet.
"There are thousands of people who have stayed there and not gotten sick. That's why we're being so careful," she said.
News of the tests made David Hush, a Baltimore radiologist, anxious about his upcoming trip to Ocean City. Hush said he and his girlfriend have reservations at the hotel in two weeks.
"We were just planning to relax, go swimming, relax in the hot tub," he said, noting that the hotel is recommending that people worried about the disease stay out of hot tubs.
Now, Hush said he wasn't sure if the trip was still on unless health officials pronounce the Princess Royale clean.
Officials on the Eastern Shore are investigating an outbreak of Legionnaires' Disease they say may be associated with an Ocean City hotel.
The state health department and Worcester County health officials are trying to find out why several Princess Royale Hotel guests developed the disease within about a week of staying there.
Officials say it's not certain that the guests acquired the illness at the hotel.
OCEAN CITY, Md.
State health officials are waiting for results from additional test
samples taken from water sources at a resort hotel, but said Monday that
no new possible cases of Legionnaires' disease have been reported.
Four people have been sickened by the bacteria over the last five months, said J.B. Hansen, a spokesman for the state Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. All got sick within about a week of staying at the Princess Royale Oceanfront Hotel and Conference Center in Ocean City, but health officials aren't certain the patients caught the bacteria there.
The last of the cases was reported in early February, Hansen said. All the patients are being treated, he said.
Tests taken at Princess Royale in early February showed no Legionella bacteria. Health officials hoped to have results by March 1 from the additional samples, Hansen said.
"They take samples from faucets and anything that could be a conduit for the bacteria," he said.
Princess Royale staff began over the weekend distributing flyers to guests, notifying them that the hotel had been tested for the bacteria, Hansen said. Recommendations to limit exposure to aerosolized water included limiting showering, avoiding use of hot tubs and whirlpool spas, and drinking bottled water, according to the state Health Department.
The Princess Royale is working with the state Health Department "to fully investigate this possible association in order to completely safeguard the well being of all our guests and employees," according to a hotel news release.
Health dept., hotel look into
Legionnaires’ disease report
February. 27, 2004
Local and state health officials have not been able to link four cases of Legionnaires’ disease to the Princess Royale Hotel in Ocean City but say they can find no connection between the four people other than their stays at the resort lodging.
The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and Worcester County Health Department are working together to find out why these guests who stayed at the Princess Royale on 91st Street developed legionellosis within a week or so after staying at the hotel.
Four people who stayed at the Princess Royale, two who were guests there last year and two more in recent weeks, have been diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease, Worcester County health Officer Deborah Goeller said. Three of the victims live in Maryland and one lives in Delaware, she said.
While Goeller said the health department has not been able to definitively link the cases of Legionnaires’ disease to the Princess Royale, it appears as though the only connection between the four people are their stays the hotel.
Health officials are not certain that the people acquired the illness at the hotel. However, because of that possibility, health officials and hotel management are notifying guests of the situation and preventative measures they can take.
Guests are being provided with recommendations that will reduce exposure to aerosols, such as limiting showering, avoiding use of Jacuzzis or the whirlpool spa, and drinking bottled water. Those who are at high risk for contracting the disease are being told they may wish to temporarily relocate to a different hotel.
The Worcester County Health Department had employees stationed at the hotel last weekend to answer guests’ questions.
The Princess Royale Hotel has been cooperating with the Worcester County Health Department and DHMH during the investigation. A notice posted at the hotel informs guests about the risks of contracting Legionnaires’ disease.
General Manager Jon Tremellen Hotel said the Princess
Royale is taking extra precautions to make guests aware of the situation
and to protect their health. The hotel has cleaned its hot water tanks
and boilers, heated the pipes to kill the bacteria and is giving guests
handouts about Legionnaires’ disease and informing
those who are at high risk that they may wish
to move to another hotel.
Test results released that were available on Feb. 10 showed no sign of excessive Legionella bacteria in water samples taken from the hotel, according to the health department.
Additional samples were taken this week from water sources in the Princess Royale and are being cultured for the bacteria at the DHMH laboratories. Those results are expected back in about a week.
Guests will continue to be notified about the potential for the bacteria and precautions they should take while staying at the hotel until the latest test results are available.
Tests clear OC hotel of
Legionnaires' disease
No detectable levels of bacteria found in water samples
from Princess Royale
OCEAN CITY
Government labs have cleared the Princess Royale hotel of suspicions that its water supply is tainted with bacteria that cause Legionnaire's disease.
Tests of water samples performed by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention came back to the Worcester County health department Thursday, showing "no detectable levels of Legionella," according to a county news release.
Tests have been going on at the hotel since February, after the health department learned of four guests in five months who developed Legionnaire's disease, a kind of pneumonia, after their visits. Victims get sick when they breathe in water droplets containing too many Legionella bacteria. In very low levels, the organisms are common in water sources.
The results mean the hotel may not have been the source of the illnesses.
"There's no definite link," said J.B. Hanson, a Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene spokesman. "To err on the side of caution, this whole process began."
After the most recent test results, county nurses will stop advising hotel guests about the testing during check-in.
The hotel's general manager, Jon Tremellen, said he was glad the test results were negative.
"I'm relieved it's over," he said. "It was very frustrating. A lot of people overreacted."
After first learning of the illnesses, the hotel voluntarily started sanitizing its water pipes with superheated water and chlorine treatments. The most recent tests were performed on water that had already been treated, on March 4.
Tremellen said chlorine treatments in the building will continue, and water will be tested periodically through the summer.
He said the hotel had lost some reservations after the first tests were announced in February.
"I'm sure a lot of people canceled for this reason," he said.
But Tremellen said the tests had never proven the victims' illnesses stemmed from their hotel stays.
"It could be very well coincidental," he said.
Hanson said the series of tests had been a serious undertaking, and that the public was interested in the results.
"It's been an ordeal for everyone in the county," he said.
March 3rd, 2004
Ward death
link to legion bug
The Royal United Hospital in Bath
had to clear 14 cancer patients from a specialist ward after the legionella
bacterium was discovered.
None of the patients has shown symptoms.
The victim, who has not been named,
died 19 days ago and a post-mortem examination showed that he had legionnaires’
disease. The bacterium was discovered in the shower head in the bathroom
of his private room on the William Outbreakd oncology ward.
Mark Davies, the hospital’s chief
executive, said that the infection was isolated and had not spread through
the 700-bed hospital. He denied that there had been any attempt to cover
up the discovery and insisted that the hospital had planned to release
details about the death. News of the outbreak emerged yesterday in local
newspapers.
Mr Davies said: “We cannot raise
the alarm about the disease when we don’t know what the starting point
is. We had to find out its source before we could release information.”
The ward will remain closed until
the Health Protection Agency allows it to reopen.
A CANCER
patient has died after contracting legionnaires’ disease that was traced
to a shower in the hospital where he was being treated.
Probe into Legionnaires' outbreak
Health authorities
in Walsall are investigating an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease after
two men were taken to hospital.|
Walsall NHS Trust said the men,
who work for the same company, may have been exposed to the bacteria in
the Green Lane area of the town.
The company is co-operating with
the investigation and all employees have been informed of the situation.
One man is now at home, but the
second remains in New Cross Hospital.
Control measures
The Health and Safety Executive
is also investigating the source of the outbreak.
The men are aged between 45 and
49 and come from Walsall and Wolverhampton.
Dr Sam Ramaiah, Walsall's director
of public health, said the first case came to light three weeks ago and
the second was identified earlier this week.
"The man who is still in hospital
is in a critical but stable condition.
"He was in intensive care as he
was quite ill, but are we more optimistic today (Friday).
"This is believed to be an occupational
incident and residents living in the area are not considered to be at risk.
We have initiated an investigation
promptly and control measures have been put in place so that chances of
further infection are minimised."
He added that it could be a "long
time" before the source is confirmed.
March 7th 2004
Workers reassured over outbreak
Public health officials have visited a factory in Walsall following
an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease.Public
health officials have visited a factory in Walsall following an outbreak
of Legionnaires' disease.
Two men, aged in their 40s, who work at the Linpac Factory, in Green Lane, have been diagnosed with the disease.
One man is now at home, but the second remains in a stable condition at New Cross Hospital, in Wolverhampton.
Health officials said they are still trying to find the source and had visited fellow workers to reassure them that the outbreak was under control.
Control measures
The Health and Safety Executive is also investigating the source of the outbreak.
Dr Sam Ramaiah, Walsall's director of public health, said the first case came to light three weeks ago and the second was identified earlier this week.
"This is believed to be an occupational incident and residents living in the area are not considered to be at risk.
"We have initiated an investigation promptly and control measures have been put in place so that chances of further infection are minimised."
He added that it could be a "long time" before the source was confirmed.
Sydney
Australia Wednesday,
17 March 2004 The other
is caused by Legionella pneumophila, which is usually associated
with contaminated aerosolised water. This water vapour could come from
sources such as from cooling towers, spas, water systems or fountains.
One of
the NSW clusters is caused by Legionella pneumophila, and the other
by Legionella longbeachae.
“Avoid breathing in potting mix
dust. Wear gloves and a mask, and wash your hands immediately after handling
potting mix or soil, especially before eating or drinking,” said Dr Paul
Armstrong from NSW Health’s Communicable Diseases Branch.
Update
Wednesday, March 17,
2004. Sanita
legionella; 5 cases in hospital of Matera, 3 deaths
Matera, 18 MAR- The news of the infection has been confirmed with an official notice from Asl 4 of Matera.
The health direction has decontaminated the system with disinfectants and water to piu' of 60 degrees. ] Sanita': legionella; 5 casi in ospedale di Matera, 3 decessi
Tre persone sono morte dall' inizio dell' anno all' ospedale di Matera per la legionella, malattia infettiva che colpisce i polmoni e si trasmette attraverso la rete idrica. Altre due persone hanno contratto la malattia. I cinque pazienti erano tutti immunodepressi (anziani e malati di Aids). La notizia dell'infezione e' stata confermata con un comunicato dalla Asl 4 di Matera. La direzione sanitaria ha decontaminato le tubazioni con disinfettanti e acqua a piu' di 60 gradi.
Melbourne Australia Deadly
bug puts three in hospital England 19
March 2004 Patient
Contracts Legionnaire's Disease at Hospital 22 March 2004 OKLAHOMA CITY At least 13 people who stayed
at an Oklahoma City hotel last week have tested positive for the bacteria that
can cause Legionnaire's disease, state health officials said. Interim State Epidemiologist Dr. Kristy Bradley said
two people were hospitalized and more than 50 reported flu-like symptoms after
staying at the Comfort Suites at Interstate 40 and Meridian in Oklahoma City. Those who reported the illness were visiting the
state last week for a home-school basketball tournament. One group from
Houston and another with players, coaches and family members from Michigan and
Indiana stayed at the hotel, Bradley said. "We have a pretty extensive environmental
investigation going on at the hotel," she said. Bradley said it appears those who came down with the
illness were exposed at the hotel's pool and hot tub recreational area, which
has been closed to the public since Saturday. "We feel that this has been a successful public
health intervention and do not see any evidence of ongoing risk at this
time," Bradley said. State Health Commissioner Dr. Mike Crutcher said the
diseases that can result from the bacterial infection include Legionnaire's
disease, a severe infection in which persons develop pneumonia, and Pontiac
fever, a milder illness that does not result in pneumonia. Crutcher said the
symptoms reported by those who have become ill include a rapid onset of fever,
chills, fatigue, headache and muscle aches, without pneumonia, leading
officials to believe all of the cases are Pontiac fever. "We're clearly seeing Pontiac fever here,"
Crutcher said. Dr. Paul Dungan, director of the Oklahoma City-County
Health Department, said all public pools in Oklahoma County are routinely
examined by health inspectors. He said the pool area at the Comfort Suites
received a full evaluation last October, but that the chemicals used to clean
and sanitize the pool may have not been measured properly. "The indications that we have at the present
time are that some of the chemicals were imbalanced," Dungan said. A telephone call to the Comfort Suites was referred
to a hotel employee, who declined to comment. Crutcher said the legionellosis infection is acquired
by inhaling mists from a water source that contains Legionella bacteria and
cannot be spread from person to person. About nine cases of legionellosis are
reported each year in Oklahoma, Crutcher said. ___ Anyone who stayed at the hotel from March 12 to the
present who develop fever and respiratory symptoms should contact the Oklahoma
State Department of Health at (405) 271-4060. 23rd March 2004 Bacteria
Connected To Legionnaire's Disease Confirmed In Oklahoma More than 50 people who
attended a basketball tournament for home-schooled students last week have
become sick, some with infections from the bacteria that can cause
Legionnaire's disease, state health officials said. 23 March 2004
More than 60 people who
attended a basketball tournament for home schooled students last week have
become sick, some with Pontiac fever that may have been spread by a hotel pool
or hot tub, state health officials said. Pontiac fever is an upper
respiratory infection caused by the bacterium Legionella pneumophila, which
also causes the more severe Legionnaire's disease. The state Health Department has confirmed 13
cases of Pontiac fever among 52 persons reporting illness from a Houston team
and 10 from a team traveling from Indiana and Michigan.
All stayed at the Comfort Suites at
Interstate 40 and Meridian Avenue. The manager of the hotel did not return
phone calls seeking comment.
Because the bacteria causing the illness is
spread by inhaling infected water, the Health Department is investigating the
hotel's indoor pool, hot tub and an adjacent dehumidifier. The indoor pool
area was closed Saturday.
The students were in Oklahoma City last week
for the National Christian Home school Basketball Championship.
Two people were hospitalized in Oklahoma
City over the weekend and have been released.
While antibiotics are used to fight
Legionnaire's disease, the milder Pontiac fever usually clears up within
several days and is treated symptomatically.
Cayla Morrow, 14, of Houston said her father
was hospitalized Sunday and the rest of the family has been treated with
antibiotics.
She said the team had meetings in the
hotel's pool room, but not everyone swam or used the hot tub.
"We knew there was something up,"
Morrow said. "There were so many sick people in our program."
Dr. Paul Dungan, director of the Oklahoma
City-County Health Department, said the hotel reported pool chemicals may have
been imbalanced.
Officials said they have no evidence the
hotel was negligent, and prior inspections showed no problems.
The illness is not passed from person to
person. Oklahoma typically has seven to 10 cases of Legionella a year,
officials said.
Update 23 March 2004
Officials confirm
bacterial outbreak OKLAHOMA CITY At least 13 people who stayed at an Oklahoma
City hotel last week have tested positive for the bacteria that can cause
Legionnaire's disease, state health officials said. Interim State Epidemiologist Dr. Kristy
Bradley said two people were hospitalized and more than 50 reported flu-like
symptoms after staying at the Comfort Suites at Interstate 40 and Meridian in
Oklahoma City. Those who reported the illness were visiting
the state last week for the National Christian Homeschool Basketball
Championship. One group from Houston and another with
players, coaches and family members from Michigan and Indiana stayed at the
hotel, Bradley said. "We have a pretty extensive
environmental investigation going on at the hotel," she said. Health officials in Montgomery County and
Texas have confirmed a lower number of those testing positive for legionnella
pneumophilia bacteria. Test results in most cases have not been
completed, with more confirmations likely on Tuesday, said Dr. Herbert DuPont,
chief of internal medicine at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital in Houston. Dr. Herbert DuPont chief of internal
medicine at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital in Houston, told the Houston
Chronicle that the symptoms reported by most patients at the St. Luke's
facility in The Woodlands appeared to fit those of Pontiac fever - a
relatively mild, flulike illness of short duration caused by the same bacteria
that cause Legionnaires' disease. Bradley said it appears those who came down
with the illness were exposed at the hotel's pool and hot tub recreational
area, which has been closed to the public since Saturday. "We feel that this has been a
successful public health intervention and do not see any evidence of ongoing
risk at this time," Bradley said. State Health Commissioner Dr. Mike Crutcher
said the diseases that can result from the bacterial infection include
Legionnaire's disease, a severe infection in which persons develop pneumonia,
and Pontiac fever. Crutcher said the symptoms reported by those who have
become ill include a rapid onset of fever, chills, fatigue, headache and
muscle aches, without pneumonia, leading officials to believe all of the cases
are Pontiac fever. "We're clearly seeing Pontiac fever
here," Crutcher said. Dr. Paul Dungan, director of the Oklahoma
City-County Health Department, said all public pools in Oklahoma County are
routinely examined by health inspectors. He said the pool area at the Comfort
Suites received a full evaluation last October, but that the chemicals used to
clean and sanitize the pool may have not been measured properly. "The indications that we have at the
present time are that some of the chemicals were imbalanced," Dungan
said. A telephone call to the Comfort Suites was
referred to a hotel employee, who declined to comment. Crutcher said the legionellosis infection is
acquired by inhaling mists from a water source that contains Legionella
bacteria and cannot be spread from person to person. About nine cases of
legionellosis are reported each year in Oklahoma, Crutcher said. Anyone who stayed at the hotel from March 12
to the present who develop fever and respiratory symptoms should contact the
Oklahoma State Department of Health at (405) 271-4060. Visitors
test positive for bacteria following hotel stay
Tuesday, March
23, 2004 OKLAHOMA CITY At least 13 guests of an Oklahoma City hotel
last week have tested positive for the bacteria that can cause Legionnaire's
disease and Pontiac fever. Interim Oklahoma State Epidemiologist Doctor
Kristy Bradley says two people were hospitalized and more than 50 reported
flu-like symptoms. They had been staying at the Comfort Suites
at Interstate 40 and Meridian in Oklahoma City while attending a home-school
basketball tournament. Groups from the Houston area, Michigan and Indiana
stayed at the hotel. The Oklahoma Health Department thinks the
people contracted Pontiac fever, which is milder than Legionnaire's disease.
Pontiac fever can't be spread from person to person. It's contracted by
inhaling mists from a water source with the bacteria. The visitors complained of fever, chills,
fatigue, headaches and muscle aches. Bradley says it appears the people got the
infections in the hotel's pool and hot tub recreational area.
Update
25 March 2004
Legionellose Outbreak Confirmed
The Oklahoma State Department of
Health and the Oklahoma City-County Health Department have confirmed that a
cluster of upper respiratory illnesses occurring among several persons in
Oklahoma City last week for a home-schooled basketball tournament is due to a
legionellosis infection caused by the bacterium Legionella pneumophila.
Diseases that can result from this bacterial infection include
Legionnaire's disease, a severe form of infection in which persons develop
pneumonia, and Pontiac fever, a milder illness that does not result in
pneumonia. Legionellosis infection is acquired by inhaling mists from a water
source that contains Legionella bacteria. The disease cannot be spread from
person to person. More than 6,000 players,
coaches and family members, representing 240 teams from throughout the nation,
participated in the Oklahoma City tournament last week. Thus far, only two
teams, one from Houston and one from Indiana, have reported respiratory
illnesses among players and/or family members. Of those with illness, at least
13 have tested positive for Legionella.
State and city-county health officials suspect that persons who have
reported illness have likely contracted Pontiac fever. Symptoms reported by
those who have become ill include rapid onset of fever, chills, fatigue,
headache and muscle aches, without pneumonia, which are indicative of Pontiac
fever. Persons who develop Pontiac fever generally recover without treatment
in two to five days.
Health officials are interviewing representatives from other
participating teams to determine any additional reports of similar illness.
Health officials are also investigating potential sources for the outbreak,
including hotels where the players and family members stayed, as well as
tournament venues.
Currently the agencies are conducting environmental sampling at the
Comfort Suites at I-40 and Meridian, the Oklahoma City hotel where the Houston
and Indiana teams were guests. Health officials suggest that any guests who
stayed at the hotel from Friday, March 12, to the present, who develop fever
and respiratory symptoms, should contact their health care provider, as well
as the Oklahoma State Department of Health at 405/271-4060.
Laboratory testing for those who became ill is ongoing, and Oklahoma
health officials are working with hospitals in the Houston area and
Three cases of Legionnaires' disease in Austria
VIENNA
Three new cases of Legionnaires' disease
have been confirmed in Austria's central Upper Austria province, the health
ministry said.
The ministry said there were 51 cases of
Legionnaires' disease in Austria in 2003.Legionnaires' disease -- first
discovered at an American Legion convention in the United States in 1976,
where 29 people died -- causes high fever, dry cough, lung congestion and
subsequent pneumonia.
It is commonly spread through contaminated air
conditioners and ventilators and is treated with antibiotics.
At the beginning of the year the disease killed
11 people in northern France.
update
Legionnaires’ disease associated with whirlpools at an
exhibition - Austria, March 2004 Franz Allerberger (franz.allerberger@ages.at),
Daniela Schmid, and Günther Wewalka, Österreichische Agentur für Gesundheit
und Ernährungssicherheit, Vienna, Austria No additional cases have been detected since 31 March, when the
Bundesministerium für Frauen und Gesundheit (Federal Ministry for Women and
Health, http://www.bmgf.gv.at)
announced the oubreak in a press statement (1). All three cases were
initially diagnosed by urinary antigen detection. Legionella pneumophila
serogroup 1 was detected using a direct immunofluorescence test performed on
a tracheal secretion specimen from the 65 year old patient, who developed
multiorgan failure and required mechanical ventilation and haemodialysis for
11 days. All three patients are currently in a stable condition.
Environmental samples taken from the whirlpools exhibited at the fair are
being tested. Previous cases of legionnaires’ disease linked to whirlpool baths at
public events have been reported. An outbreak at the Westfriese Flora, a
flower and consumer products show, in the Netherlands in 1999, affected 188
people (2,3). Two whirlpool spas on display at the show were implicated.
Another outbreak of legionnaires’ disease occurred in Belgium in 1999,
which affected 93 visitors to a trade fair in Kapellan. A whirlpool and a
fountain at that exhibition were found to be contaminated with
Legionella (4).
Source
In mid-February, a middle aged Swedish man fell
severely ill with legionellose. The cultivation of his sputum sample showed
growth of Legionella bozemanii, an unusual species in Sweden [. Since the patient had not recently travelled
abroad, an investigation to find the source of infection was initiated by
the department of communicable disease control and prevention in Stockholm
County. The man was staying at his summer cottage during the incubation
time. The water supply to his cottage is delivered through a long pipe via
his neighbour’s property. This water in the pipe was suspected to be the
source of infection and so the water was sampled and analysed for the
presence of Legionella, but this was not detected. On further questioning,
the patient recalled that he had visited a friend and they had bathed in the
friend’s whirlpool bath. The owner of the whirlpool was contacted and was
found to be suffering from protracted symptoms of a respiratory tract
infection. He had taken a course of penicillin for about 2 months, which had
had no effect on his symptoms. Serological results later showed raised
titres of antibodies to Legionella bozemanii. At the end of April, samples were taken from the
whirlpool and very high amounts of Legionella bozemanii/anisa were detected
in the whirlpool water (3 600 000/ litre). The bacteriological analysis also
showed high numbers of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and very high numbers of
heterotrophic bacteria, (> 30 000/ml). These results indicated that the
whirlpool had not been maintained correctly. The owner of the whirlpool stated that he had
maintained the whirlpool in accordance with the manufacturer’s maintenance
instructions, although he had changed the filter more often than was
recommended. The whirlpool has a volume of about 3 m3 and the
water was changed every second week. Chlorine was used as disinfectant and
was added manually. The owner of the whirlpool contacted people who had
visited him previously and had bathed in the whirlpool. He reported that
about 40 people had developed mild respiratory symptoms after their visit. The growth of the unusual Legionella bozemanii/anisa
could be due to the fact that the water used in the household is a mixture
of well water and water from a nearby lake. Outbreaks caused by whirlpools
distributing Legionella are becoming more frequent . Outbreaks of Pontiac fever with high attack rate
are more common but legionellose outbreaks also occur. Whirlpools are commonly installed in public places
such as hotels, gyms or spas and bad or non-existent maintenance of the
whirlpools is common. This is the first time that a private whirlpool has
been found to be the vehicle of legionella infection in Sweden, but it is
likely that the number of people contracting an infection with milder
symptoms from their private whirlpools is underestimated. Guidelines have been produced for hotels and public
places where whirlpools are installed to help the organisations reduce the
risk of whirlpools becoming distributors of Legionella . Source
Three
cases of legionella in the The
councilman of Health of the locality, Fernando Albors, indicated that the census
of risk facilities bases in 155 the number of apparatuses in 57 companies of
this locality, of which 116 were sealed in last September because "they are
equipment that is used only during the spring and the summer to reduce the inner
temperature of the factories and are not tie to the production process". It
needed that the 39 facilities that are in operation follow the controls
periodic.
HORSHAM, Pa.
There has been an outbreak of
Legionnaires' disease in Montgomery County. The county health department
confirms that there have been two more cases of Legionnaires' disease reported
at the Madlyn and Leonard Abramson Center for Jewish Life in Horsham Township,
Pa. One case last month -- the
death of 92-year-old Cyril Moore. At the time of Moore's death, it was called
an isolated incident. But, since then, health officials say a 52-year-old
worker at the Abramson Center tested positive for Legionnaires' disease and
three test samples at the retirement home turned up the legionella bacteria.
The center is putting extra
chlorine in its water supply and installing a new machine that adds chlorine
to the water.
In 2002, two residents died of
Legionnaires' disease at the Abramson Center.
Since then, the retirement home
has spent thousands of dollars decontaminating and testing the facility
Update 5 June
2004 Three new cases of Legionnaires' disease have been
reported at a suburban Philadelphia nursing home that had an outbreak almost
two years ago that caused two deaths, authorities said Friday. The bacterial infection was listed as one of the
causes of the May 3 death of a 92-year-old woman at the Madlyn and Leonard
Abramson Center for Jewish Life, Montgomery County Health Director Dr.
Joseph M. DiMino said. Outbreak 2002
Montgomery County medical authorities say a 93-year-old woman is the
eleventh person diagnosed with the illness at the Madlyn and Leonard
Abramson Center for Jewish Life. However, the woman was not from Wing D,
where all of the other victims lived. She only went to that wing when she
was given a bath.Two people have died and seven other residents and one
employee of the center in Horsham, Pa., have tested positive for the
bacterial infection since June 10.
Friday, 11 June 2004 Update
12 June 2004
Her diagnosis follows that of two women, aged 66 and
78, and a 69-year-old man who were admitted to hospital after displaying
symptoms of the airborne legionella bacteria.
A Department of Human Services spokesman said the most
recent diagnosis was believed to be linked to the earlier three. See
the following page for previous Cobram outbreak http://www.q-net.net.au/~legion/Legionnaires_Disease_2000.html UPDATE 24 June
2004 Thursday, 24 June 2004 16 June 2004 Nathan Hale, epidemiologist with the state's Regional Health Dept. here, said
this morning he'd just received a report on the case in his office and that an
investigation would be underway today. 18 June 2004 The first Upper Cumberland case in six years was confirmed Wednesday, and a
second shortly after that, according to Nathan Hale, epidemiologist for the
Upper Cumberland Regional Health Office. The two people are from two different
counties, but both are from the 14-county Upper Cumberland area. "Pinpointing the cause is very difficult to do," Hale said.
"What we did was to see if there is any link between the two. They appear
to be completely not related." Hale said the two people may have picked up the bacteria because of faulty
air conditioning, although the specific source has not been determined. "Air conditioning units are usually the culprit, but home units aren't
usually large enough," he said. "We can't find anything that sticks
out to say where either one of them picked it up. "The important thing to know is that they appear not to be related, and
there's no risk to the community at all," he said. Seven
people affected by Legionella in Zaragoza Seven
people has been affected by a outbreak from legionella detected in the Three
of them are in the Unit of Intensive Cares. Most serious he is a man of 78
years. The
period of incubation of the disease is of ten days, reason why it does not
discard that new cases in the next days arise. The
health authorities remember that legionella transmits through aerosols and
cooling towers of water, never by the consumption of a contaminated drink or by
the contact with a patient. Update 20
June 2004 The number of affected by the ourbreak of legionella detected in the Clinical
Hospital of Zaragoza, and that was made public Friday the past, already promotes
10 people, after three cases were diagnosed more,
according to have informed
health
sources. Until
Saturday they were the seven people entered hospitals of the Community as a
result of the outbreak
of legionella, although it has been detected that also they are related to the
outbreak
a neighboring man of 77 years of Ejea of the Horsemen (Zaragoza), that
has been entered in the UCI of the hospital
and which it was entered in the health
center in the first fortnight of June, and a young woman who has happened
"of
hospital
to the UCI of the center", in addition to another man. This
patient, who was entered in the hospital
of The
other patient to whom its relation with the outbreak
has been determined is a patient
of 80 years who at the moment is entered in the Hospital
Miguel Servet de Zaragoza and who undergoes legionella by to have happened
through the Clinical one during the possible period in which the outbreak
was
developed. This
way altogether there
are ten affected people, of whom six are entered in UCIs. Clinical
Hospital of Zaragoza Update
21st June 2004 Zaragoza Public
health, that does not discard the appearance of more cases, said to its chief of
a main directorate, Luis Go'mez, will extend if necessary the study outside
epidemiologist and studies to cause that legionella, disease already of
obligatory declaration, is also of urgent declaration in Aragón. The
presence of the bacterium has been detected in two cooling towers of the 27
INVESTIGATED
Of
the 27 investigated in Aragan
to have the bacterium or to suspect that it could it have had during June (from
April there has been no case in Zaragoza), in ten its relation with the outbreak
detected in the Clinical Hospital has been confirmed and in five it has not been
confirmed that has legionella. Of
the ten patients whose relation with the outbreak of the Clinical one has been
confirmed, seven are entered in this center, of which five (four men and one
woman) are in the Unit of Cuidados Intensivos (UCI)"stationary, within the
gravity", and other two women "evolve well" in plant, according
to sources of the Department of Health. In
addition, another greater man remains stable in the UCI in San Jorge de Huesca,
another man also of age is in plant and evolves or in the Ernest Lluch de
Calatayud and one third person is entered plant in Miguel Servet de Zaragoza,
where she evolves or, they added the same sources. A
DECEASED BY TERMINAL DISEASE
Of
the other twelve investigated patients, eight are entered, two in the Hospital
Royo Villanova de Zaragoza, to the delay of the medical discharge; _ five in the
Hospital Miguel Servet, one in the UCI and four in plant, that evolve well, and
other in the geriatrical Saint Jorge of Zaragoza, of the one that "have
relation with the Clinical and suspect that have legionella", according to
the same source. Other
three people have been registered and this morning has inquired into a deceased,
the past day 10 in the Clinical one, of a terminal disease and in whose
analytical was the presence of the bacterium, "although it has not been
possible to outside determine that the cause of the death and its possible
relation with the confirmed outbreak". This
outbreak has called the attention, said the chief of a main directorate, because
most of the cases it has occurred in patients and their companions and
because
they bear relation to the hospital, journeys by its neighborhoods or lives in
the environs. Update
23 June 2004 TWO
NEW CASES ZARAGOZA.
Public health of the
Government of Aragón has detected two new cases of legionella in Zaragoza,
reason why the number of affected month in the last promotes 28 patients, of
whom 16 are related to the "communitarian outbreak" appeared in the
Clinical Hospital University Lozano Blesa. Sanitary sources have informed into that of the 16
patients related to the outbreak of the Clinical one, 14 are hospitalised in
different centers from the community, one person has died.
Both new cases are two patients who were hospitalized
in the Clinical College prior to the declaration of the outbreak.
One is a man of 56 years which day 9 entered of June as
a result of a inmunodepresor process, that is in plant and whose clinical
evolution is positive, and of a woman of 62 years who entered the 13 of June, by
similar circumstances to of the previous patient, and that due to its good
evolution already has been registered.
The active search of possible patients of legionella
that day 15 started up the past, when detecting itself the bacterium in two
cooling towers of the Clinical one, has taken to the confirmation of these two
new cases in patients who remained entered in the University Clinical Hospital
prior to the declaration of the outbreak.
The technicians of Public Health of the Aragonese
Government have informed into the confirmation of three cases related to the outbreak,
that were in study and which they add themselves to the eleven confirmed until
Tuesday.
These three are two women of 73 years and a man of 83
who was entered with symptoms of legionelosis and that reside in the proximities
of the hospitable center or frequent their environs.
Therefore, until the moment, the number of affected in
relation to this outbreak and that remains hospitalized is of 14, of which six
remain entered in units of intensive cares (five in Clinical, of which two are
with serious prognosis, and the one in San Jorge de Huesca).
The seven remaining cases that they bear relation to
the outbreak from the Clinical Hospital find entered in plant with a
"favorable evolution" distributed in different centers from the
community.
The investigation opened by the Main directorate of
Public Health as a result of the outbreak includes/understands a survey
epidemiologist on other cases of legionelosis diagnosed in the last month in
Zaragoza, 16 until the moment, of which 12 are confirmed and four are
suspicious. Of these, six are being taken care of in hospitals of the Aragonese
System of HEALTH , after this Wednesday has been discharged from the hospital
one of the patients who remained entered in the Hospital Royo Villanova and
whose relation with the outbreak of the Clinical one is discarded.
UPDATE
25 June 2004
18
ASSIGNED TO THE
OUTBREAK ZARAGOZA.
Public health has notified three cases more of
legionella in the province of Zaragoza, with which they ascend to 34 affected in
the last the month, of which 18 are assigned to the outbreak of the University
Clinical Hospital and in other eight it still works to determine the possible
relation. The morning of Thursday, the chief of a main
directorate of Public Health of the Aragonese Government, Luis Go'mez, informed
into who were 31 cases of legionella, into that 17 were associate to the outbreak
of the Clinical one.
In the evening, the number of affected was increased in
three more, according to the Main directorate of Public Health, that has
notified a new case of legionella directly related to the outbreak associated to
the contamination of two cooling towers of the University Clinical Hospital at
the beginning of this month.
One is a man of 83 years who remains entered from those
dates in the mentioned sanitary center, informed health sources.
With this last update of affected data the number of
until now by the legionellosis outbreak rises to 18, of which one passed away
Tuesday the past, another one was registered yesterday and 16 follow
hospitalized, of which six remain in units of intensive cares, two of them in
serious state.
On the other hand the number of patients of legionella
in the province of Zaragoza related at the moment to this outbreak is not of 16.
The two last notifications correspond to a man of 63
years entered in plant in the Hospital Miguel Servet, of Zaragoza, to which
legionellosis has been diagnosed and whose relation with the outbreak is in phase
of study, since it was taking care of to a person entered in the Clinical one
during the dates in which foreseeably the contamination took place.
The other communicated case this same afternoon
corresponds to the one of a man whose entailment with the outbreak has discarded
totally because it resides in a population of the province and it has not had
any recent stay in Zaragoza.
Update
ZARAGOZA 25 June 2004. The University Clinical Hospital has notified to the
Main directorate of Public Health the death during the night of a patient of
legionellosis related to the associated outbreak of the detected contamination
the last week in the cooling towers of the health center. One is a man of 83 years who had admitted previously
to the hospital, informs the Aragonese Government. Until the moment, the
number of cases with the outbreak of legionella is 18, of which two have
passed away, other two already have been registered and 14 follow
hospitalized. Of these patients, four are in the UCI -- two in serious
state The investigation opened by the Services of
Monitoring Epidemiologist of the Main directorate of Public Health as a result
of the outbreak related to the Clinical Hospital also includes/understands the
study of other 16 cases notified during the last month in Zaragoza and its
province, in principle related to the outbreak although in eight of them has
not extended the survey epidemiologist. Of these people, 13 are hospitalized
in different health centers and three have been registered.
UK tourist's death sounds
alarm bells 25 June 2004 This sent alarm signals ringing, as he had come to
India in November 2003 and visited Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and Goa. Though he died
in December, the Union health ministry learnt found out only last week.
Immediately, the NICD was asked to send teams to collect water samples from
the places he stayed in the four cities. No previous occurrence of the Legionnaire's disease
has been found in India. The bacterium, Legionlla pneumophila, causes
respiratory infection, its symptom being acute pneumonia. The peculiarity is,
the bacterium does not cause infection in its normal environment, but, when
transferred to water supplies at extremes temperatures such as spas and air
conditioning units of large buildings, it can cause infection.
Update 28 June 2004
A
WOMAN 24 YEARS
OF AGE Passes away in Zaragoza The
fourth person related to the outbreak of legionella
of the Clinical Hospital Update
29 June 2004
The
outbreak of legionella of A
man of 78 years, who was entered in the UCI of the Clinical Hospital Zaragoza,
has become the fifth victim of the outbreak of legionellosis detected in
several cooling towers of this hospitable center. The
people affected by the outbreakd located in the hospital are twenty, of whom
five have passed away, three have received the medical discharge and twelve
follow hospitalized, three in units of intensive cares, one of them in serious
state. Sixth person by the outbreak of legionella passes away in July
2004
A man
of 45 years who remained entered in the UCI of the University Hospital Miguel
Servet de Zaragoza affected by the legionelosis outbreak has passed away east
Monday, with which the number of mortal victims rises to six, according to
sources have informed into the Aragonese Executive This
man was one of both patient that remained in the UCI in serious state, and
whose entailment with the legionelosis outbreak
was established by the Services of Monitoring Epidemiologist of the Main
directorate of Public Health in the middle of the last week. PORTUGAL Three
cases of the "doença of legionário" they had been detected in the
tourist aldeamento Aquamarina, in Albufeira. Vitimas is two foreigners and a
Portuguese. The
regional entity of public health guarantees that "hotel has good
practical of control epidemiologist and reason does not exist to speak in
surto". The regional assistant director of public health, Francisco
Mendonça, says that a "inquérito epidemiologist was efectuado, having
itself concluded that he does not have reason for alarme". The
Aquamarina was locked up during the time of Winter. From the month of April it
counts a hundred of customers more than, but still it has vacant. To the
entrance of the aldeamento, a plate announces free and "preços rooms
especiais". In relation to the victims of the illness of the legionary,
Francisco Mendonça related that any indication does not exist of that the
people could have been contaminated in that hotel:
"A
illness until could have been contracted in the decorative sources where some
people if refrescam." The regional assistant director of public health
opposed to confirm the number to it of cases of illness of the legionary,
alleging to be about "informação confidencial". On the other hand,
he guarantees that the hoteleira unit of Albufeira "cumpre the norms of
monitorização and operacionalidade" to be able to be to function.
In
the last report technician elaborated for the services of maintenance of the
Aquamarina he is made alusão to the necessity of substitution of filters and
tablets nalguns equipment. we "Estamos atentos"
It
is that, when some hoteleira unit is referenciada as local of transmission of
this illness, it passes to be dissuaded by the travel agencies the
international level.
Austria
Legionellen
at the camping site first victim dies Niederoesterreicher
in the AKH The
Legionellen illnesses, to which at the end of of May at the Klagenfurter
camping site had arisen, demanded a first victim. A 60-jaehriger
Niederoesterreicher deceased in the night on Sunday in the AKH Vienna.
Director of public utilities Wilhelm Lauer and Gesundheitsreferentin Maria
Luise Mathiaschitz Tschabuschnig (s) of the APA communicated this. On
29 June by the town councillor it had been communicated that the man had
Legionella pneumophila. Second
case of legionella A
second case of the Legionella in such a way specified is admits become on
Wednesday. According to report of Maria Luise Mathiaschitz Tschabuschnig
at the vortag a 70-jaehriger man made of
LEGIONNAIRES' DISEASE
The cases have occurred since January
2004.
The large numbers are prompting
a health warning about the illness.
Reducing exposure to potting mix
dust by following manufacturers instructions printed on the potting mix
bags is vital in preventing infection from Legionella bacteria.
Legionnaires' disease deaths
no cause for alarm
New South Wales health authorities say the recent deaths of two elderly people
from Legionnaires' disease are not cause for alarm.
Jeremy McAnulty from New South Wales Health says the risk of being exposed to
the disease is low, considering the last case was reported on March 1.
Dr McAnulty says people should take preventative measures to avoid the disease.
"One is about avoiding dust from gardening materials like potting mix -
don't breathe that in, wear a mask, wash your hands thoroughly," he said.
"The other is about a message to building owners who run cooling towers for
airconditioning systems - make sure they're well maintained."
Eleven people have contracted two separate strains of the disease in Sydney and
the Illawarra region since January.
It is believed they caught the disease by inhaling potting mix dust or
contaminated water vapour from cooling towers.
Two people remain in hospital.
Three persons have died from the beginning of the year to the hospital of Matera for the legionella, infectious disease that hits lungs and it is transmitted through the water net. Others two persons have contracted the disease.
The five patients were all immunodepressi (old and sick of AIDS).
***************************************************************************************
2004-03-18
MATERA, 18 MAR-
19th March 2004
A 65-year-old delivery driver was in intensive care last night after he was
struck by legionnaires' disease at work.
Two other men, both 56, were recovering after being infected with the deadly
disease in a light industrial area in Redgum Drive, Dandenong South.
All three are delivery drivers for two businesses in the street.
Department of Human Services officers were inspecting nearby premises with
cooling towers.
Victoria's acting chief health officer, Dr John Carnie, said inspectors would
check whether treatment and maintenance for the towers were up to date.
The older man has been in Frankston Hospital's intensive care unit since
Tuesday. One of the men was treated at Dandenong Hospital and is now home. The
third was recovering at Knox Private Hospital.
A hospital patient has been diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease, an NHS trust
said today.
Tests confirmed the patient in Basildon Hospital, Essex, had the disease which
affects water supplies and causes a rare form of pneumonia.
It follows a previous discovery of Legionella bacteria in the hospital’s water
system in 2002.
Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Trust carried out a £300,000
programme to tackle the bacteria last year.
But despite their efforts the trust said the latest water testing at the
hospital showed that the legionella bacteria had returned.
Alan Whittle, chief executive of the trust, said: “It is not possible to
eradicate the bacteria and we did, and have continued to do, everything that was
recommended to manage the risk.
“We are urgently re-examining all of our controls with experts from the Health
Protection Agency and are awaiting further test results to determine what other
actions we need to take.
“In addition to the continuous measures we have been taking to manage the
water supply, we have carried out very high temperature pasteurisation to
eliminate the current contamination.”
All patients with suspected pneumonia in the hospital are being tested
specifically for legionella bacteria.
Local primary care trusts and GPs are being encouraged to check on patients
recently discharged from the hospital who may be at risk.
Legionella bacteria are constantly present in the environment within the UK and
there are approximately 300 cases of Legionella infection in Britain each year.
Health
officials confirm bacterial outbreak
Leslea Bennett-Webb, a spokeswoman for the State Department of Health, said
she couldn't release an exact number of those infected. She said those
sickened were associated with teams from Houston and Indiana who were
participating in the tournament.
Some were infected with the bacterium Legionella pneumophila, which can cause
Legionnaire's disease, a severe infection that includes pneumonia, or can
result only in milder upper respiratory problems, she said. Those infected
seem to be suffering from this milder variety of illness.
Pool or hot tub thought tied to
illness
Wednesday
March 31 2004
Three cases of legionnaires’ disease have been confirmed in Austria’s
central Oberösterreich province. Three men, aged between 42 and 65 years,
were admitted to hospital in the cities of Ried im Innkreis and Linz on 16,
17, and 19 March respectively. This temporal and spatial cluster prompted an
epidemiological investigation, performed by the Österreichische Agentur für
Gesundheit und Ernährungssicherheit (Austrian Agency for Health and Food
Safety, http://www.ages.at).
For all reported cases, the date of onset of clinical symptoms was between
10 and 13 March. All patients had attended a trade fair for energy-saving
products in Wels (Ried im Innkreis and Linz are both approximately 100 km
from Wels), from 5 to 7 March 2004. The trade fair included a whirlpool
display stand. All three patients, when questioned, reported that they had
visited the whirlpool stand at the exhibition at approximately the same
time. For this reason, and because whirlpools can be very effective at
propagating Legionella, the whirlpools at the fair are currently
under suspicion as the source of this outbreak.
The
Consellería of Health of the Valencian Generalitat informed yesterday that
there is three cases of pneumonia by legionella in the local hospital of the Low
Fertile valley, in Orihuela.
The woman of 64 years and the man of 66 have not remained all the period of
incubation of the disease in the mentioned health centre, whereas the other man
was in the hospital all that term, indicated sources of Health, that added that,
immediately, the hospital has adopted the necessary measures in agreement with
established in the Program of Prevention and the Control of the Legionellosis
Nosocomial, to the time that has informed from the situation to the Meeting of
Personnel.
On the other hand, the industrialists of the sector of the staple fibre of also
the alicantino
Legionnaires' Disease Crops Up Again
At Retirement Home
92-Year-Old Man Died Last Month At
Abramson Center
NORRISTOWN, Pa.
A 52-year-old housekeeping employee and a 101-year-old male resident tested
positive this month, DiMino said. Both are expected to recover.
Eleventh Legionnaires' Case Reported At Nursing Home
Two People Have Died So Far From Outbreak
ABINGTON, Pa. -- Another case of Legionnaire's
Disease has been reported at a suburban Philadelphia nursing home.
Residents of the 81-bed Wing D were moved back to their rooms on Tuesday and
Wednesday, after tests showed the wing to be free of contamination.
Three hospitalized with legionella
CASES OF LEGIONNAIRES' DISEASE INVESTIGATED
Three cases of Legionnaires' disease are being
investigated in Cobram, Victoria's Acting Chief Health Officer, Dr Rosemary
Lester said today.
"Two women aged 66 and 78 are being treated in
Goulburn Valley Hospital in Shepparton after initially being diagnosed and
treated at Cobram Hospital," Dr Lester said.
"A man aged 69 was admitted to Cobram Hospital
last week, but has since been transferred to Geelong Hospital and is being
treated in ICU.
"All three are residents of Cobram.
"A team from the Department of Human Services
is inspecting a number of sites in Cobram today to ensure cooling tower
treatment and maintenance is up to date.
"Samples will be taken from systems close to
where these people live and shop. Once the samples are taken the systems will be
treated to make them safe.
"There is no reason for residents of Cobram not
to go about their normal business or activities," Dr Lester said.
The illness causes headache, fever, chills, muscle
aches and pains, followed by respiratory problems and pneumonia developed over
three or four days. Onset can be up to 10 days after the initial contact with
the bacteria.
The legionella bacteria occurs naturally in the
environment, mainly in water and soil. It is normally in very low concentrations
but can increase markedly, particularly in man-made aquatic environments with
warm recirculating water, such as air conditioning cooling towers.
Infection is acquired through breathing in very fine
droplets of water which contain the bacteria, such as spray drifts which are
vented off from the towers.
The risk of Legionnaires' disease increases with
age, especially amongst smokers. People with chronic medical conditions that
weaken the body's immune system such as cancer, lung disease, diabetes and
transplant recipients may be at increased risk of Legionnaires' disease.
Decontamination and thorough cleaning of infected
towers will reduce the risk. Regulations require cooling towers, warm water
systems and public spas to be maintained and disinfected regularly.
So far this year there have been 51
cases of Legionnaires' disease notified
to the Department, compared with 54 cases in 2003 and 57 cases in 2002 for the
same period.
A FOURTH person has been
diagnosed with the potentially deadly legionnaires disease in the northern
Victorian town of Cobram.
A 64-year-old Cobram woman was today recovering in Cobram Hospital after last
night being diagnosed with the disease.
COBRAM LEGIONNAIRES' DISEASE SOURCE IDENTIFIED
The source of Legionnaires' disease in Cobram has
been identified as a cooling tower at the Murray Goulburn dairy co-operative,
Victoria's Chief Health Officer Dr Robert Hall said today.
"Samples taken from the tower and one of the
people who fell ill have shown the same strain of legionella – confirming the
tower as the source," Dr Hall said.
"It is highly probable the other three people
who fell ill were also affected by legionella bacteria from this tower.
"Although the tower was disinfected immediately
after the sample was taken, a subsequent test result showed a very low positive
count for the bacteria.
"As a result, and as a precautionary measure,
we have requested Murray Goulburn to close this tower and conduct a thorough
decontamination.
"We will work with them to ensure the system is
safe when it becomes operational again," Dr Hall said.
Murray Goulburn's Cobram Branch Manager, Mr Gavin
Russell, reassured its employees and Cobram people that the factory and its
environs were safe.
"The tower in question was shut down,
voluntarily, on Wednesday morning. As an additional precaution to the
co-operative's usual stringent bacterial control strategy, all towers were
disinfected immediately after tests were taken.
"As DHS has acknowledged, we are co-operating
fully with them in their investigations.
"We have also appointed an independent risk
management consultant to assess the situation and recommend action.
"In regard to our cooling towers, Murray
Goulburn has a systematic and closely monitored regime of control in accordance
with DHS regulations.
Mr Russell said the co-operative had been surprised
and disappointed by the positive test, and particularly regretted the legionella
sub-type similarity to that contracted by one of the four people who became ill.
"We would also like to assure our stakeholders
and customers that this issue has nothing at all to do with products
manufactured at Cobram. They remain safe. Legionella is an air-borne disease and
cannot be held by or transmitted through food," Mr Russell said.
Dr Hall said the four people who fell ill in Cobram
earlier this month were recovering. Three women, aged 66, 69, and 78 have been
released from hospital and are recovering at home. A 69-year-old man is
recovering in Geelong Hospital.
During the investigation samples were taken from 30
cooling towers in and around Cobram. Murray Goulburn has a total of 17 towers.
Source DHS Victoria
Legionnaires' case reported at CRMC
"We will try to pinpoint the locus -- do
some investigation to find out where the person picked up the disease,"
said Hale. "It could be just a random incident."
Second Legionnaires' case reported at hospital
The number ascends to 10 of affected by
the outbreak of legionella detected in Zaragoza
The people affected by legionella in Zaragoza rise
to 28
Three cases elevate more to 34 the affected ones by
legionela in Zaragoza
A second patient related to the out of legionela of the
Clinical Hospital of Zaragoza passes away
New Delhi India
Panic buttons have been pressed in the Union health ministry, after it learned
that a British tourist who had been travelling in the country last year had
died in the United Kingdom from a very rare communicable disease, hitherto
unknown to India.
The matter was detected recently, when the British High Commission informed
the health ministry that a 53-year-old citizen had died in December 2003 from
Legionnaire's Disease.
According to the itinerary sent by the High Commission, the 53-year-old
tourist had arrived in Delhi in the last week of November 2003. He then
travelled to Jaipur, returned to Delhi, before going on to Agra. After seeing
the Taj Mahal, he went to Goa by air from Delhi. During each of his stays in
Delhi, he used to stay at Marriott hotel in Saket. He went back to the United
Kingdom on 5 December and died two days later.
The advisor of Health of the Government of Aragón, informed on this death
during her appearance before the Commission of Health, in which she explains
the reach of the legionellosis outbreak and the measures adopted by the
administration for his control.
The opened investigation to detect the origin of the outbreak has put in the
open the presence of this bacterium in other four located cooling towers in
buildings near the hospitable center. According to it informed the chief of a
main directorate into Public Health of the Government of Aragón, Luis Go'mez
Lopez, has detected the bacterium in three located cooling towers in the
adjacent Medicine Faculty and a tower of the building of Telephone, near the
hospitable complex.
The outbreak
of legionellosis
declared the past day 15 of June has affected 23 people, of whom six have
passed away, eleven have received the medical discharge and other six continue
hospitalized, one of them in the UCI in serious state.
The Main directorate of Public Health maintains a study open on the possible
relation with this outbreak
of other 16 people diagnosed of legionella
during the month of June in
The chief of a main directorate of Public Health, Luis Go'mez Lopez, has
informed into the negative result to the presence of legionela in the cultures
of samples taken day 24 in the cooling towers from the Cynical Hospital, as
well as in the other towers analyzed and located in a perimeter of a kilometer
around the hospital.
These analyses have been also negative, safe in the case of an installation of
deprived titularidad in which the concentration of legionella
was inferior to 10,000 units of formation of colonies (ufc), considered
contamination of low risk, and in her already the measures have been taken
from necessary control and prevention.
With respect to the analyses that are carried out in the Institute of Health Carlos
III of the Ministry of Health and Consumption in Majadahonda (Madrid),
Go'mez has explained that the isolated stock in patients corresponds to
"legionella pneumophila, serogroups
1, Pontiac subtype".
This agrees with the found one in one of the cooling towers of the University
Clinical Hospital, but not with the isolated ones in the samples taken in the
tower from Telephone from the Bretón street, which discards to this last
installation as possible center of I infect.
The autonomic Executive indicates that carried out once the settled down
actions of prevention for this type of situations, now reduces to complete the
additional information necessary to emit the closing report, moment at which
he will occur technically by closed this outbreak.
Illness of the Legionary in Albufeira
Complaint ford
The man from the district nine-churches had spent one vacation on the camping
site from 20 to 27 May. It was on 30 May at a heavy pneumonia gets sick and
in-supplied to the AKH Vienna.