LEGIONNAIRES' DISEASE
OUTBREAKS
2006
Thursday 5 January 2006
Rennes
The légionellose is back
The prefecture of d'Ille-et-Vilaine yesterday evening announced the identification in Rennes of six cases of légionellose
Six cases of légionellose, one death, were identified in Rennes, according to an official statement of the prefecture of d'Ille-et-Vilaine. Investigations are in hand in order to establish if there is a source common to these contaminations.
The légionellose is a respiratory infection caused by a bacterium. It is characterized by a raised fever, muscular pains and headaches.
All the infected people present a factor supporting such as a immuno-depression, a chronic or cardiovascular renal disease or a high age. An adapted antibiotic treatment is effective if it is taken in time. The prefecture recommends to consult its practitionar attending in case of doubt.
The légionellose is a respiratory infection caused by a bacterium. It is characterized by a raised fever, muscular pains and headaches. All the infected people present a factor supporting such as a immuno-depression, a chronic or cardiovascular renal disease or a high age. An adapted antibiotic treatment is effective if it is taken in time. The prefecture recommends to consult its practitionar attending in case of doubt.
Légionellose in Rennes a death. Five patients.
The source of the infection is not identified.
The prefecture of d'Ille-et-Vilaine announces six cases of Légionellose in the department since the beginning of the year. One of the people died about it. For the moment, the origin of this contamination is not given. A medical investigation is in hand. The city already knew two important businesses.
Two deaths in 2002 and five in the year 2000. The disease often contracts by the inhalation of tepid water droplets containing of the bacteria (légionelles), suspended in the air.
Typically, the contamination can come from a system of air conditioning in a public place, for example. cooling towers could, in certain cases, also to spread the légionelle one in their vicinity.
Only the serious form of the disease is called légionellose (the other is dénomée fever of Pontiac). The serious form relates to only 5% of the cases. It touches mainly the people of already fragile health. It incubates into 2 to 10 days. It takes the form of an acute pulmonary infection which can prove mortal. On the other hand, this disease is not contagious.
The DGA confirms a new case of Legionella in the jail of Zuera A second inmate was registered yesterday in the Servet is progressing favourably.
The Delegation of the Government assures that more infections have not been registered.
29 January 2006
The Government of Aragón confirmed yesterday the existence of a second case of legionellosis in the penitentiary centre of Zuera, where inmate passed away the past 23 of January in the hospital was internal Miguel Servet as a result of an infection by the bacterium.
Both cases were notified by the penitentiary authorities the Main directorate of Public Health, as he is mandatory, as soon as were detected, days 18 and 20 of January, respectively, although in both cases declared a day before.
The affected second, a prisoner of first degree, was also transferred
Miguel Servet, where recently it has received the discharge to present/display
favourable progress, according to sources of the Delegation of the
Government in Aragón.
First of affected the era of Moroccan nationality, it was 56 years old and it
presented a serious immunodepressive problem, since it suffered two diseases
that had mined their system of defences.
The 17th of January entered in the Servet with which it seemed a strong influenza, but three days later legionellosis was diagnosed to him.
Sources of the Delegation of the Government informed into which the infection of legionella is confined both to treated cases to date. Also, they indicated that, the 20 of January, the authorities of Health started up in the penitentiary facilities the protocol of performance anticipated for the episodes of legionelosis. Thus, hipercloró and was warmed up of the sanitary network and samples were taken from water to make an analysis of their composition.
The DGA emphasized yesterday that the analyses made in the penitentiary center of Zuera in the previous months in order year gave negative result and they did not reveal the existence of the bacterium of legionella.
At the moment, the technicians of the Main directorate of Public Health are to the delay the results of the practiced water analyses in the month of January, before and after the death of the inmate of Moroccan nationality.
These tests will allow to determine where is the bottom of the legionellosis, a pneumónica pathology that already originated four cases in April of year 2004.
The repetition of the infections by Legionella, a bacterium that has in the pulverized water its better means of transmission, back forced time to the people in charge of the macro jail of Zuera to extract the artichokes of the showers, to carry far the hygiene measures and to multiply the analyses of the sanitary network, that happened to be monthly instead of quarterly. From their inauguration in the summer of the 2002, 28 inmates have died in Zuera by diverse reasons.
Legionella zuera
31 January 2006
The Jail of Zuera registers three cases legionella, with one death
Three internal ones of the jail of Zuera (Zaragoza), one of which passed away day 23 the past of January, have been infected with the bacterium legione[la this month, on whose origin they are investigating the penitentiary authorities .
An inmate of Moroccan origin, with a serious immunodepressive problem, passed away in the University Hospital Miguel Servet de Zaragoza by infection of the bacterium, whereas another prisoner was registered the last week after remaining days entered in the same hospitable center.
Sources of the Delegation of the Government in Aragón have informed today to EFE of a third case of Legionellosis in the penitentiary center, a preventive inmate who responds to initials C.I.G., of 69 years and natural of Zaragoza.
This prisoner, slope of
judgment from the past 9 of September of the 2005, had the first symptoms of
high fever day 28 and when not responding to the treatment Miguel Servet was
transferred day 29 to the Hospital, where the corresponding analyses practiced
to him whose positive results of Legionella have been known today, added the
same sources.
The patient continues entered in the sanitary center and progess is positive.
From the moment at which the first case of Legionellosis was detected,
Penitentiary Institutions started up the habitual protocol in these cases,
with the taking of samples on the part of technicians of the Department of
Health and Consumption of the Government of Aragón and preventive measures
like the hipercloración of the circuit of water of the prison. For want of the
definitive results, the same sources indicated that it suspects that the
showers could be the origin of the infection by legionella.
DAYTONA BEACH SHORES, Fla.
A resort temporarily closed its doors Friday after health officials said two guests, including one who died, developed Legionnaires' disease.
The Seagarden Inn relocated its guests as a precaution after the Volusia County Health Department informed hotel officials late Thursday about the bacterial
infections, said Doug Kosarek, a spokesman for Ocean Waters, the Daytona Beach company that owns the resort\
"We take this very seriously," Kosarek told the Orlando Sentinel. Seventy-four rooms were evacuated.
Health officials have not confirmed whether the disease was the cause of death of the guest who died, said Stefany Strong, health department spokeswoman.
A week ago, the county health department began testing for the bacteria when hotel officials learned one guest contracted the disease. A second case was
discovered late Thursday. Because test results will not come back until early next week, hotel officials decided temporarily to close the hotel.
Legionnaires' disease threat closes hotel
Seagarden Inn owner takes voluntary step after 2 get disease
A hotel owner said Friday that he closed a Daytona Beach Shores beachside hotel because of the threat of Legionnaires' disease.
A doctor with the Volusia County Health Department confirmed two cases of the disease were reported in the county during the month of January but could not divulge where the cases were reported because of an ongoing investigation. He did say, however, the disease poses no immediate threat to the public.
Douglas Kosarek, senior vice president of Ocean Waters Management, which recently acquired the Seagarden Inn, 3161 S. Atlantic Ave., said the hotel closed Friday and moved its guests to another beachside hotel to err on the side of caution.
"The Health Department is not accustomed to voluntary closing," he said. "We are going above and beyond the call. We are working from the standpoint of doing the right thing."
Two long-term winter guests at the Seagarden Inn contracted the disease, but there has been no definitive link to the hotel, Kosarek said.
One patient died, but whether the disease caused his death is still being investigated, said Dr. Thomas Coleman with the Volusia County Health Department. The second patient is recovering.
A type of bacteria called legionella causes the disease, and its symptoms are similar to any other form of pneumonia: high fever, chills and a cough. People show symptoms two to 14 days after exposure to the bacteria.
There have been no reported cases of Legionnaires' disease in the past two weeks, Coleman said. The last person showed symptoms Jan. 10, meaning the disease is not spreading.
They urge state to warn public of risk; La. health officials dispute claims
February 22, 2006
METAIRIE, La.
The
question quietly circulating here is whether Legionnaires' disease is
spreading in the battered refuse left by Hurricane Katrina.
Some New Orleans-area doctors are saying the bacterium that can lead to the
disease, a severe and stubborn form of pneumonia, might be growing in the
soggy remains of buildings flooded after the hurricane. But some experts
question whether the bacterium can grow in that environment, and state
officials insist that there is no public health threat.
The doctors said in
interviews this week that preliminary tests have confirmed at least seven
cases of Legionnaires' in recent months.
Most patients were homeowners or contractors who had been gutting flooded
houses, the doctors said, leading them to focus on building materials as a
suspected source of the bacterium. The doctors believe that ripping apart
flooded homes can create an "aerosol" effect that can lead to infection.
The doctors said they fear that many other patients have become infected but
are not receiving medical treatment. Others, they said, are probably being
treated with antibiotics that will have no effect because their cases have
been misdiagnosed - partly because the disease is difficult to detect and
partly, the doctors said, because health officials have not warned hospitals
or the public to guard against the disease.
"It's probably not being diagnosed," said Dr. William LaCorte, an internist
and geriatric specialist who sees patients at nursing homes and two hospitals
in the area. LaCorte said he has treated two patients who contracted
Legionnaires' disease. "This is a very serious, life-threatening problem."
State health officials disputed the doctors' claims yesterday. Dr. Raoult
Ratard, Louisiana's state epidemiologist, said he has taken the doctors'
concerns seriously and said it appears that at least four patients have
contracted Legionnaires' disease since Katrina. But he said there is no
evidence that the New Orleans area is seeing an unusual rash of cases.
"This is very, very few cases," he said. "It's the same as before."
Ratard questioned whether the bacterium, typically drawn to water and
wet climates, could have taken root in flooded building materials. He said it
is just as likely that "Gila monsters" are living there.
"That's a crazy story," he said. "People are so adamant about blaming things
on Katrina."
Dave Daigle, a spokesman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in
Atlanta, said the federal agency has not received reports from the state about
suspected cases of Legionnaires' disease.
Dr. Victor L. Yu, a professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh who
has studied Legionnaires' disease extensively, said he agreed with health
officials that it is unlikely that the source of the bacterium is the building
materials.
But he said it is entirely possible, even likely, that the New Orleans area
could see cases of Legionnaires' disease because of the flood, which could
have introduced the bacterium into water systems.
"If you're ever going to have an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease, you're
going to have it after a major flood event," he said.
Each year in the United States, between 8,000 and 18,000 people are
hospitalized with Legionnaires' disease, the CDC said. Symptoms can include
high fever, chills, cough, muscle aches and headaches. The disease cannot be
passed from person to person.
The disease is named after the outbreak that led to its discovery. In 1976,
more than 200 people attending a convention of the American Legion in
Philadelphia fell ill; 34 people died. Doctors were confounded, but
researchers eventually linked the illness to a bacterium they named Legionella
pneumophila.
Most healthy people do not become ill after coming in contact with the
bacterium. Those who do become ill can typically be treated with antibiotics
and most recover fully. But the disease can be fatal, particularly among
smokers, the elderly, people who have chronic lung disease or people whose
immune systems are otherwise compromised.
Some doctors in the area would like health officials to issue a public
warning. A warning would probably not keep people from becoming infected;
there is little that can be done to avoid it. But a warning could prompt
people to seek medical attention sooner if they began to feel ill.
"The message here is that if you are remodeling a house and you are very short
of breath, get your [self] to the ER," LaCorte said. "And think: Legionnaires'
disease."
2/20/06
The second person who contracted Legionnaires disease at Strong Memorial Hospital has died and now hospital officials say the Legionella bacteria has spread to another water system in it's ambulatory care facility. Dr. Paul Graman, director of infection control at Strong Memorial Hospital, says legionnaires contributed to the death but there's no way of telling if it was the cause of death. “In this case which was very tragic this was a combination of factors. Legionnaires disease was definitely a factor but there were other medical problems as well.”
Dr. Graman can't give details but says the patient who died late Sunday night had a serious liver disease and was the second patient diagnosed with Legionnaires disease. On February 7 a critically ill cancer patient tested positive for Legionnaires disease and that prompted the hospital to test the water, which came back positive for Legionella bacteria last week. Dr. Graman also says the legionella bacteria have now turned up in a separate water system in the ambulatory care facility. He says their main concern is patient safety and reassuring patients that every precaution is being taken meaning everyone in this hospital is now getting bottled water for all water purposes. “We did find Legionella in an outpatient building and decided to institute the water plan. That's the use of bottled water.”
Dr. Graman says he still believes outpatients are not at risk for the pneumonia like disease known as Legionnaires. “The rest of us encounter this bacteria in our daily lives in all the buildings were in and our homes and the water we encounter anywhere.”
The fear is of course that more patients will come down with Legionnaires disease. Dr. Braman says it is possible since the incubation period can be two weeks but he says as each day goes by the more precise the hospital can be that the situation has been contained.
Water test samples for the hospitals main water system are due back by Friday. If results are negative for legionella patients will go back to using regular water. It will be a little longer for the ambulatory care facility since the water there has just begun to be treated with chlorine.
ROCHESTER
Hospital patient dies of Legionnaires'
disease
One of two people who contracted Legionnaires' disease at Strong Memorial Hospital has died.
The patient died late Sunday after being removed from life support, hospital officials said. Legionnaires' a type of pneumonia contributed to the person's death, doctors said. The patient also had liver disease. Hospital officials found the bacteria legionella in Strong's water system Feb. 13, after a first patient contracted Legionnaires' disease while in the hospital. That patient, who is battling advanced cancer, is in guarded condition.
The hospital treated its water system with a dose of chlorine last Tuesday in an attempt to kill the bacteria. About 500 patients are on bottled water while the hospital continues testing the system
Hospital officials said the outpatient facility attached to the hospital also has tested positive for legionella, putting that department on bottled water until future tests come back negative.
3rd patient has Legionnaires' disease at Strong
Bacteria victim is being treated for leukemia
February 22, 2006
Strong Memorial Hospital reported its third case of
Legionnaires' disease tied to a bacterial outbreak in the hospital's water
system.
The patient, who is in the hospital receiving chemotherapy treatment for
leukemia, was diagnosed with the pneumonia-like illness Tuesday morning.
Hospital officials said the patient was in satisfactory condition Tuesday.
Of the two patients previously diagnosed, one has died and
one remains in guarded condition.
Strong is awaiting test results that will likely come Friday to show whether
the Legionella bacterium, which causes Legionnaires' disease, has been
eradicated from the hospital's main water system. The system was flushed with
chlorine Feb. 14 after a test confirmed the presence of Legionella in the
water supply of the main building.
Legionella bacteria can grow in stagnant, warm portions of large water systems and can most often cause illness when inhaled by people with compromised immune systems.
The second patient diagnosed with Legionnaires' at Strong died Sunday after being taken off life support. That patient was also battling liver disease.
The first patient diagnosed with the illness on Jan. 27, whose condition sparked the investigation of the hospital's water system, is battling cancer and is in guarded condition. The hospital will not identify the patients.
In another case of the disease striking a health care facility in Rochester, a woman at The Friendly Home in
Brighton died in 2005 after contracting Legionnaires'. The nursing home said it was never able to directly link
the Legionnaires' case to its water system, but it did treat its
water to kill any bacteria.
Kathy Parrinello, Strong's chief operating officer, said
it's assumed that no one will contract the illness who was admitted to the
hospital after Feb. 14, the day the
hospital began requiring widespread use of bottled water and some sponge baths for its sickest patients.
Legionnaires' typically is contracted by inhaling mist from hot showers or baths or by inhaling vapor from a contaminated cooling system. But the bacterium can also get into the lungs if a person inadvertently inhales water while drinking.
Since Legionnaires' has an incubation period of up to two weeks, people admitted before Feb. 14 might still develop the illness. Parrinello said doctors are on high alert to test for the disease when a patient has a fever or respiratory infection.
The state Health Department is overseeing Strong's response
to the outbreak.
Members of the hospital staff are "cooperating in the investigation and have
taken extensive measures in an effort to eradicate Legionella bacteria from
their water systems," said Jeffrey Hammond, Health Department spokesman.
The hospital treated its outpatient facility with nearly boiling water Monday after finding Legionella there, as well. But the procedure had some glitches, so the hospital chlorinated the water on Tuesday to kill any remaining bacteria, Parrinello said.
The hospital tests water in its main building twice a year for Legionella but does not normally test in the outpatient center because people are only temporary visitors there, Parrinello said.
A negative test has come back showing no signs of the bacteria in the emergency department's water, so patients no longer have to drink bottled water there. The emergency department's water system also serves the pediatric intensive care unit and the adult burn and trauma unit
Patient suspected of getting Legionnaires'
disease from water system dies
22.2.2006
ROCHESTER, N.Y.
Rochester's largest hospital is dealing with its third case of a patient with Legionnaires' disease.
The case was announced yesterday -- two days after another patient died, with the disease partly to blame.
The bacteria that causes the pneumonia like illness was found in Strong Memorial Hospital's water supply on February 13th.
About 500 patients have been on bottled water since then as the hospital cleans the system.
The disease kills about 10 percent of people hospitalized with it, but people with weakened immune systems are two or three times more likely to die. That's according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Two cancer patients have Legionnaires'. One is in guarded condition, and the other is satisfactory.
A third patient with hepatitis died Sunday.
Legionnaires' infects fewer than 100 people in New York each year.
Strong Awaiting Water Culture Tests
The local Coca-Cola plant is supplying Strong with 200 cases of bottled water daily.
That's about 2,400 bottles each day.
Three patients are confirmed to have contracted Legionnaires' disease from the hospital's water system. One of those patients died. Another remains in guarded condition, while the third is in satisfactory condition.
A fourth patient at Strong may have contracted Legionnaires' from the hospital's water system in December or January.
The water culture tests are expected to be released Friday.
4th Legionnaires' case likely
March 1, 2006
A fourth patient has been identified as possibly having contracted
Legionnaires' disease at Strong Memorial Hospital.
The New York state Health Department told Strong during a discussion Tuesday
that it would list a patient who tested positive for Legionnaires' on Jan.
30 as a possible case of hospital-acquired Legionnaires' disease.
Dr. Paul Graman, director of infection control at the University of Rochester Medical Center, said the hospital did not alert the public about this patient's case in early February because it believed the patient wasn't in the hospital long enough in January to acquire the disease there.
But recent tests confirmed that the type of Legionella bacteria found in the patient matched the type found in one of the other three patients who had the disease.
The fourth patient, whom Strong would not name, is battling terminal cancer and possibly acquired Legionnaires' during a 10-day stay in the hospital in December. The patient had pneumonia, which Legionnaires' mimics, after the 10-day stay. The patient is currently not at Strong. One of the other three patients with Legionnaires' died Feb. 19.
The Health Department confirmed Tuesday that no other Legionnaires' cases have surfaced since the hospital treated its water with chlorine and switched all patients to bottled water starting Feb. 14.
Strong received confirmation Feb. 13 that Legionella bacteria existed in the hospital's main water system. The bacteria can grow in large plumbing systems where warm water might stagnate. It causes Legionnaires' when inhaled, possibly through shower mist or by choking while drinking water.
"(The fourth patient) doesn't change our interpretation of what's
occurred and the measures that have been put in place," Graman said.
A second test is expected back Friday to confirm whether Legionella has been
eradicated from the hospital's main water system. All inpatients will be
taken off bottled water if there is no Legionella present. However, patients
in the hospital's bone marrow and organ transplantation units and its
inpatient cancer unit will stay on bottled water and receive sponge baths
for three more months.
The hospital will continue to test the water every month for those three months to ensure the Legionella is gone. After that, the hospital will test its water quarterly for the bacteria. The outpatient floors, where Legionella was also found, will now be tested twice a year. Previously, the water in that section was never tested.
28.2.2006
The New York State Health Department says a woman who was a patient at
Strong Memorial Hospital in December and January may have contracted
Legionnaires’ disease while in the hospital. The woman, who has terminal
cancer, is recovering from Legionnaires’ disease and is no longer a patient at
the hospital.
Earlier this month 3 patients at the hospital were diagnosed with the
disease.
One of them, an older patient with liver disease, died. Hospital officials say Legionella, the bacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease, was found in the hospital’s water system on February 13 and a week later in the ambulatory care facility’s water system.
Both water systems were treated with chlorine and superheated water and bottled water is being used for patients in both facilities. The first round of tests conducted last week show that the hospital's main water system is free of legionella.
Melbourne Australia
Vendredi 3 mars 2006
Australie: la légionellose fait un mort et cinq maladesUne personne
âgée est décédée des suites de la légionellose et cinq autres personnes en
sont malades en Australie, a-t-on appris hier de sources sanitaires.
Un homme de 85 ans est décédé à l’hôpital la semaine dernière à Melbourne, a
précisé le responsable des services de santé de l’Etat de Victoria (sud-est),
le Dr Robert Hall.
La légionellose a également été diagnostiquée chez “trois autres hommes, âgés
de 61, 43 et 80 ans qui sont en train de se rétablir”, a-t-il ajouté,
précisant que “deux femmes de 65 et 83 ans” étaient soignées dans un autre
hôpital.
Des analyses étaient en cours dans des bâtiments du nord de Melbourne, ont
précisé les autorités.
La maladie du légionnaire, ou légionellose, est une infection respiratoire
provoquée par une bactérie particulièrement hydrophile, qui se développe dans
les systèmes produisant de la vapeur d’eau.
***********
Cases of Legionnaires' disease investigated - 1.3.06
Bram Alexander on 01/03/2006
Category: Department, Dr Robert Hall, Miscellaneous,
Victorian Government
Wednesday, 1 March 2006
Action
to combat legionnaires' not enough: expert
March 3, 2006
The Age/ Herald Sun (Australia)
Legionnaires' expert Clive Broadbent, who has advised governments on managing
cooling towers since 1979, was cited as saying that Victorian health
authorities are not adequately monitoring cooling towers to prevent growth of
the deadly legionella bacteria.
The stories say that the criticism came as a seventh person, an 83-year-old
Reservoir man, was revealed as being infected by the outbreak of legionnaires'
disease in Melbourne's northern suburbs.
The Department of Human Services has identified nine cooling towers on seven
sites in Preston and Reservoir as possible sources of the infection, including
the Northland Shopping Centre, which reported a significant fall in customers
yesterday.
All sites have been disinfected and investigations are under way, but results
will not be available for at least a week.
Mr Broadbent was further cited as saying cooling towers were not inspected
often enough and inappropriate disinfectants were being used.
Of the nine cooling towers now under investigation, two have not been
inspected since May 2004. Another system was inspected in December 2004 and
six others in May 2005.
Department of Human Services spokesman Bram Alexander was cited as defending
the state's regulations, which were introduced after the Melbourne Aquarium
legionnaires' outbreak in 2000, adding, "When you look at the incidence of
legionnaires' disease in Victoria, especially legionnaires' disease that can
be attributed to cooling towers, since our new legislation and reforms came in
our numbers have decreased dramatically. The evidence is in the practice."
There were 248 reported cases of legionnaires' disease in 2000 compared to 56
last year.
Legionnaires'
disease strikes seventh Victorian victim
2nd March 2006
The search for the source of Melbourne's outbreak of legionnaires' disease continued, as the potentially deadly airborne bacteria struck down its seventh victim.
The 83-year-old man is recovering in the city's Northern Hospital after his diagnosis late last week.
Department of Human Services spokesman Bram Alexander said the man had been seriously ill for several days.
The man was admitted to the hospital late last week ,it fits the epidemiology, Mr Alexander said.
He said the man had recently visited Preston, the Melbourne suburb blamed for the source of the outbreak.
Health officials revealed on Wednesday that an outbreak of the disease was centred on the suburb in the city's north, and it had killed an 85-year-old man from Reservoir and put five others in hospital.
The Health Department is yet to pinpoint the source of the outbreak, and teams of departmental staff went back to the suburb to look for further towers not listed on an official register.
The Northland Shopping Centre is home to one of the suspect towers, and its management has moved to assure shoppers that it was in the clear.
"The centre undertakes regular and stringent independent testing of its water cooling plant and has installed the latest equipment to minimise the risk to retailers, staff and the general public," Northland retail manager Matthew Norden said in a statement.
"Northland has provided its latest test results to the DHS confirming that all cooling plant is free of the disease ... there is no linkage with the centre to the reported cases in the area."
Mr Alexander said the results of official testing would not be known for about a week, and it was: "too early to rule anyone out".
Melbourne businesses have been urged to check their sickness records, and any staff who have been off work with flu-like symptoms for more than three days should contact their doctor.
Mr Alexander said Wednesday's disinfection effort was likely to curtail the outbreak but he warned that legionnaires' disease had an incubation period of 10 days.
"While we would hope that there would be no new cases, there may be people that are still in the incubation period," he said.
A 61-year-old man diagnosed with the infection was discharged from Werribee Hospital on Wednesday, while an 80-year-old man was discharged from the Austin Hospital.
Two women, aged 83 and 65, remain in satisfactory conditions at the Austin while a fifth person, a 43-year-old man, is recuperating at home
*****************
Eighth Victorian Legionnaires' disease Case Found
3rd March 2006
Health authorities have discovered an eighth victim of Melbourne's deadly legionnaires' disease outbreak.
An 81-year-old man from Melbourne's north-eastern suburbs was diagnosed with the potentially fatal airborne disease last month but has since recovered, the Department of Human Services said.
Health officers had retrospectively linked the man's case to the latest outbreak, which is centred around cooling towers in the northern Melbourne suburb of Preston, spokesman Bram Alexander said.
The outbreak has killed an 85-year-old Reservoir man and hospitalised six others.
The latest victim had been identified after telling health officers he visited the Preston area before falling ill, Mr Alexander said.
The man had not volunteered this information earlier and was hospitalised before being released on February 22.
And health authorities have not ruled out the possibility of more victims.
"There's always chances that there will be cases that pre-date the action we took on Wednesday to decontaminate these towers because the incubation period is up to 10 days," Mr Alexander said.
Two elderly victims were discharged from hospital on Friday, but another woman remains under observation in hospital.
An 83-year-old man who was diagnosed with the disease on Thursday has since been discharged from the Northern Hospital in suburban Epping, a hospital spokeswoman said.
The man had become seriously ill and was admitted to the hospital late last week.
The Austin Hospital spokesman John Heselev said an 83-year-old woman was expected to be sent home on Friday, while a 65-year-old woman remained in the hospital in a satisfactory condition.
Three other victims, a 61-year-old man, an 80-year-old ms'an and a 43-year-old man, are all recuperating at their homes.
In terms of test results from the cooling towers were would expect them sometime next week, Mr Alexander said.
LOCAL
RETIREMENT HOME BEING CHECKED FOR POSSIBLE LEGIONNAIRES' DISEASE OUTBREAK
1st March 2006
POSSIBLE LEGIONNAIRES' DISEASE OUTBREAK IN
MARBLEHEAD
MARBLEHEAD — An industrial hygienist is scheduled to test Thursday to determine the source of a possible Legionnaires’ disease outbreak at the North Shore Retirement Community, the company’s CEO said today.
Since Feb. 23, four elderly women who showed signs of the potentially fatal, incommunicable disease have been taken to Magruder Hospital in Port Clinton, said Don Gilmore, North Shore Retirement Community CEO. Two of those cases are probable confirmations
All of the women are alive, Gilmore said. The
hygienist will test the facility’s assisted living centre, where the outbreak
occurred, to find the source.
“We’re going to get to the problem and fix it,” Gilmore said, adding the
outbreak is the facility’s first. “We’re really confounded by it.”
Legionnaires' cases probable
Four women taken to Magruder from Otterbein
2nd March 2006
MARBLEHEAD -- An industrial hygienist is scheduled to perform tests today to search for the source of a possible Legionnaires' disease outbreak at the North Shore Retirement Community, that company's CEO said Wednesday.
Since Feb. 23, four elderly women who showed signs of the potentially fatal, incommunicable disease have been taken to Magruder Hospital in Port Clinton, said Don Gilmore, North Shore Retirement Community CEO. All of the women are alive, but two of those cases are probable confirmations.
Gilmore said the hygienist will test the facility's assisted living center, where the possible outbreak occurred, to confirm if a source exists.
"We're going to get to the problem and fix it," Gilmore said, adding the outbreak is the facility's first. "We're really confounded by it."
Legionnaires' disease is caused by Legionella bacteria, which thrives in stagnant, warm water, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The symptoms resemble those of pneumonia and include high fever, chills and coughing. Outbreaks of the disease have been linked to showers, faucets, whirlpools and air conditioners.
Gilmore said 35 residents lived in the assisted living center. Those residents were relocated Tuesday to other parts of the facility or released to family members until the presence of Legionnaires' disease is confirmed.
Some of the residents from assisted living are showing the same symptoms of the four hospitalized women but have not been taken to Magruder just yet, Gilmore said. Caregivers at North Shore are keeping a close eye on those residents to ensure their conditions don't worsen.
Gilmore said one of the four women has returned from Magruder. Her condition is improving after being placed on antibiotics.
"We're grateful people are responding to treatment," Gilmore said. "We'll do everything to make sure things are safe."
Nancy Osborn, director of the Ottawa County Department of Health, said North Shore has taken the "most conservative action it can."
"So far, we have received no tests confirming Legionnaires'," Osborn said. "It's ongoing. The tests that have come back haven't confirmed anything.
"We don't even have a case there."
Osborn said the health department's role is to provide North Shore, in this case, with advice and wait for private physicians to complete tests on the women. She doesn't know when all of the tests will be finished.
Considering Legionnaires' disease is found, Osborn said she's unsure how long North Shore officials would have to disinfect the site. The cleanup is a private matter and doesn't involve the health department.
"(We) make sure it doesn't spread," Osborn said.
2 diagnosed with Legionnaires' at retirement village
LAKESIDE, Ohio - Two residents of Otterbein North
Shore Retirement Living Community have been diagnosed with possible cases of
Legionnaires' disease, prompting Otterbein to relocate residents of its
assisted-living unit.
Officials said "four or five" other
assisted-living residents who had shown some symptoms of the infection were
tested but did not have Legionnaires'. All 35 people who live in the
assisted-living unit at the facility just outside the Lakeside gates have been
relocated to other parts of the campus, other health-care facilities, or to
family members' homes.
Don Gilmore, chief executive officer of Otterbein
Retirement Living Communities, said two residents who developed pneumonia were
taken to Macgruder Hospital in Port Clinton, where the hospital confirmed the
diagnosis of Legionnaires', but state and county health officials "are not
satisfied" that the two elderly women indeed had the disease. "We're taking
the position that it will be [Legionnaires'] and acting very conservatively
and doing all we can to protect the residents," Mr. Gilmore said.
One of the women has been released from the hospital; the other is still hospitalized, he said. An industrial hygienist is to be at Otterbein today to try to pinpoint a possible source of the bacteria that causes the disease.
Mr. Gilmore said each of the wall-mounted heating units in residents' rooms in the assisted-living unit has been cleaned and checked. The industrial hygienist hired by Otterbein will be checking the building's central heating system and the hot water system. "We'll be going top to bottom until we determine whether there is a problem and what we need to do to fix it," he said.
Nancy Osborn, Ottawa County health commissioner, said Otterbein told the county health department of the possible cases Feb. 23 and has taken all appropriate steps, and more, to respond. "At this point, Otterbein has probably overprotected their residents," she said. "You can't criticize anyone for overprotecting."
According to the Ohio Department of Health, the state had 220 cases of Legionnaires' in 2004 and 206 cases in 2005. As of Feb. 5, just 11 cases had been reported in Ohio.
Ms. Osborn said no cases were reported in Ottawa County in 2004 or 2005.
In addition to the assisted-living unit at Otterbein, residents live in apartments and patio homes, though they have separate heating and cooling systems. Mr. Gilmore said once residents understand Legionnaires' is not a communicable disease and the problem is likely isolated to the assisted-living unit, they are comfortable staying in their homes. "I'm going to take a meal in the dining room tonight just to demonstrate" it's safe, he said.
Lawmaker Tests Positive for Legionnaires' Disease
1st March 2006
South Dakota Representative Tom Hennies of Rapid City who was hospitalized with what was thought to be pneumonia says he was diagnosed instead with Legionnaires' disease.
And Hennies is pretty sure he knows where he got, and who is responsible.
Hennies has been using a humidifier in his Pierre motel room during the legislative session for the past several years and it is loaded with mold. The humidifier belongs to Hennies not the motel.
The former Rapid City police chief says he may have died if fellow legislators had not urged him to go to the hospital. Hennies is being treated with a strong antibiotic and says he's recovering nicely
GUATEMALA
The Guatemalan health authorities isolated a wing of the Roosevelt national hospital destined to deal with patients AIDS, after the death of three patients by respiratory sufferings.
"We suspected that he could be legionella or some type of influenza, for that reason decided to isolate the area and to send samples to the Center for the Control of the Diseases (CDC, in English) in the United States so that they help us to identify what is", the main adviser of epidemiological of the ministry of Health l
Meanwhile, in Guatemala cultures are made to discard or to confirm to estafilococos or estreptococos like causes of the mysterious disease.
The three patients passed away between the 25 and the 28 of February of an acute respiratory disease.
Altogether, one is 25 the patients who are in group of forty. Gudiel explained that the isolation implies not to admit more patients in that wing of the capital hospital, to make the use obligatory of dressing gowns and masks in the area and to delay the debit of the patients to those who the discharge occurs until a prudencial time of incubation has passed.
In addition, they have occurred to the task of tracking patients recently withdrawn to verify if there is more infected.
"We have a problem whereupon many, by estigma that entails AIDS in this country, give directions and entered false telephones to the being", added the epidemiólogo.
The infected patients with with legionella normally have fever, cooling and cough, which can derive in one pneumonía.
*********
Friday, March. 3 2006
Sospechan brote de legionela en hospital guatemalteco,
GUATEMALA
Las autoridades sanitarias guatemaltecas aislaron un ala del
hospital nacional Roosevelt destinada a tratar enfermos de sida, tras la
muerte de tres pacientes por padecimientos respiratorios
"Sospechamos
que podría ser legionela o algún tipo de influenza, por eso decidimos aislar
el área y enviar muestras al Centro para el Control de las Enfermedades
(CDC, en inglés) en Estados Unidos para que nos ayuden a identificar qué
es", dijo a la AP el asesor principal de epidemiología del ministerio de
Salud, Mario Gudiel.
Mientras tanto, en Guatemala se realizan cultivos para descartar o confirmar
a estafilococos o estreptococos como causantes de la misteriosa enfermedad.
Los tres pacientes fallecieron entre el 25 y el 28 de febrero de una
enfermedad respiratoria aguda.
En total, se trata de 25 los pacientes que están en
cuarentena. Gudiel explicó que el aislamiento implica no admitir más
enfermos en esa ala del hospital capitalino, hacer obligatorio el uso de
batas y mascarillas en el área y retrasar el egreso de los pacientes a
quienes se da el alta hasta que haya transcurrido un tiempo prudencial de
incubación.
Además, se han dado a la tarea de rastrear pacientes recientemente egresados
para verificar si hay más contagiados.
"Tenemos un problema con que muchos, por el estigma que conlleva el sida en
este país, dan direcciones y teléfonos falsos al ser ingresados", añadió el
epidemiólogo.
Los pacientes con infectados con legionela tienen normalmente fiebre, enfriamientos y tos, lo que puede derivar en una neumonía.
8th March 2006
Spain
Health closes the bath of Orduña after detecting four cases of legionellosis
The technicians disinfect the facilities to the delay of which to confirm the center of the outbreak the Department of Health of the Basque Government has suspended cautelarmente the activity of the bath hotel of Orduña, in as much investigates the origin of four cases of legionellosis whose affected they passed recently by the lodging. The patients, three men and one woman of ages between 36 and 55 years, progress favorably but they follow entered in plant in two vizcaínos hospitals. \
The technicians of the independent Executive and the personnel of the thermal establishment have started up the procedures to locate the center of the bacterium and, in their case, to eliminate it. The first case detected last Friday and activated the protocol of answer to the disease. When being appearing new patients, the epidemiologist could verify that the bond between all of them was its pass by the Bath Hotel Customs, a thermal station inaugurated in the locality vizcaína in October of the last year. In view of the concurrence and simultaneidad of the cases, the Department of Health decided to suspend all the activities of the establishment except the one of cafeteria and restaurant, a resolution that the direction of the lodging has done hers , according to honors the Basque Government. Drops of water The bacteria of the sort Legionella live habitually in rivers, lakes and dams, from where they colonize the urban networks.
The temperatures of between 20 and 45 degrees favor their multiplication, although they cannot support waters that surpass the 60 or 70 degrees. The infection of the human body takes place when breathing small drops that contain the microorganism, reason why most of the outbreaks they are tie to cooling towers, sanitary hot water or bathtubs of Jacuzzi, in which air is used to shake the water. For that reason, the establishments of ' spa appear like one of the risk surroundings: in fact, one of the registered most important outbreaks in Euskadi, with more than forty affected, took place in 1999 in the Guipuzcoan bath of Zestoa.
According to the people in charge of the Customs, it was the direction of the hotel that made yesterday of voluntary way the decision to close the thermal facilities, after Health informed to them into the situation.
In any case, the analyses to determine if the center of the disease is really in the establishment will not give result until within fifteen days, but the bath already has practiced a first "treatment of thermal , consisting of shock raising the temperature of the water over the 60 degrees and, in some sections, beyond the boiling point.
The characteristics of the lodging, almost just released, have made this measurement possible: "Otherwise, the system of pipes could not have resisted this increase of temperature", points the company. In addition, to complete the disinfection, the non detachable elements are had hyper chlorinated - pumps of massages or faucets and have reviewed all "the nebulizada" water conduits.
Second treatment The director of the establishment, Yolanda Urrejola, already advanced yesterday that another identical treatment will be carried out are as they are the test results We give by fact that we will have closed all the month of March and, if everything goes well, will return to open in April.
We are not convinced that the bacterium is in our facilities, but must collaborate and to eliminate all doubt , argued.
The hotel, that is supplied of water by two routes
- the public network of Orduña for the conventional uses and the spring of Dies It for the thermal station
stressed that it rigorously fulfills the norms of automatic control of legionella and even has a specialist in prevention of infections.
The Department of Health has attended the corresponding alert to the National Center of Epidemiology. Between the immediate tasks of both organizations, it appears the one to put on warning the clients who have stayed themselves in the hotel during the most probable dates of infection, so that they go to the doctor without delay in case of noticing some symptom.
The circumstance that occurs the lodging, with a maximum of 90 guests, usually is complete all the week ends. The establishment was inaugurated the 1 of October of the year last in the building of the old customs, of century XVIII, and for end of January already it had welcomed in almost 3,000 clients.
The doctors consider enough burdens pneumonia produced by legionella: She is more aggressive than the caused one by pneumococo - values the pneumólogo Rafael Zalacain, of the Hospital of Crossings -, but he deals himself with very specific antibiotics that work well.
Australia
Two women
contract Legionnaires' disease in Sydney
13 March 2006
The potentially deadly Legionnaires' disease has struck in Sydney with two women taken to hospital suffering symptoms.
The only common link between the women is that they had shopped at a Chatswood shopping centre.
The women are in a stable condition in Royal North Shore Hospital after contracting the disease sometime last week.
Dr Jeremy McAnulty from NSW Health said the department had not identified any public risk in Chatswood.
We've done a precautionary review of cooling towers and other possible sources and we're continuing to monitor the situation.
We haven't had any further cases since these two cases last week.
NSW Health plays down Legionnaires' disease fear
16 March 2006
A major investigation is under way to trace the source of a legionnaires' disease outbreak as two more elderly women were struck down with the disease in Sydney.
The latest victims, women in their 80s from the Chatswood area in Sydney's north, brought to five the tally of people admitted to hospital with the potentially deadly bacteria.
But NSW health authorities are playing down fears of a major outbreak.
One of the women admitted to hospital is seriously ill in intensive care, while the other is in a stable condition.
A 56-year-old man admitted to hospital earlier this week is also in a stable condition.
Two other women, one in her 50s and the other in her 70s, have both recovered after being diagnosed with the disease earlier this month.
NSW Health Director of Communicable Diseases, Jeremy McAnulty said the woman in intensive care was admitted to Royal North Shore Hospital after feeling sick for several days and is now "seriously unwell".
Mr McAnulty said the woman had not visited the Chatswood shopping precinct like the other four, but had been staying nearby.
We're continuing our public health investigation by looking at all the cases and tracking common exposures," Mr McAnulty told reporters. Whenever we get two cases overlapping with common exposures we take that very seriously.
The mortality rate of those admitted to hospital with Legionnaires disease is typically about 20 to 30 per cent, he said.
Mr McAnulty said there was no reason for people to avoid the Chatswood area.
Willoughby Mayor Pat Reilly said the council was taking the outbreak seriously but that it had not disrupted life or business in the area yet.
"I think people are handling it with a degree of commonsense," Mr Reilly said.
"We are urging people to be cautious but not to panic."
Chatswood Chamber of Commerce president Edward Mazzoni said it remained "business as usual" in the Chatswood CBD.
"There's been no effect so far," Mr Mazzoni said.
Mr McAnulty said if people in the Chatswood area developed a fever or cough, they should seek medical advice.
He said GPs and emergency departments had been alerted to the recent cases.
Two confirmed cases of Legionnaires' disease stem from stay at Logan
County motel.
Both state and Logan County health departments working to notify guests and
correct the problem.
LINCOLN
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) issued an order today requiring the Best Western Inn, formerly the Comfort Inn, in Lincoln, to close its swimming pool and whirlpool area. The order was issued after both pools tested positive for the bacterium, which can cause Legionellosis, also known as Legionnaires’ disease. The swimming pool and whirlpool spa have been closed for use by guests since Tuesday. IDPH is also ordering the hotel to take corrective action, including draining and cleaning both pools and changing filters.
IDPH and the Logan County Health Department recently learned of two
confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease in out-of-state residents who both
stayed at the motel. One person with Legionnaires’ disease stayed at the
hotel in mid-January and the other in mid-February. Both people were
hospitalized and on ventilators.On March 8, IDPH and the Logan County Health
Department completed an investigation where staff established there was no
chlorine residual in either pool. An independent laboratory reported that
water samples collected from the pools tested positive for Legionella
species. Additional environmental samples are being analyzed with further
results pending.
“Guests who stayed at the hotel are from all over the country. It’s
important to get this information out to those guests so they can be
properly treated, said Dr. Eric E. Whitaker, IDPH Director. “Legionnaires'
disease can be a mild respiratory illness or it can be very serious and can
cause death in up to 30 percent of cases. Most cases can be treated
successfully with antibiotics, and healthy people usually recover from
infection.”
The most common symptoms of Legionellosis are fever, chills and a cough.
Some patients also have muscle aches, headaches, tiredness, loss of appetite
and, occasionally, diarrhea. Persons with the most severe type of this
infection are likely to be hospitalized with pneumonia.
|
|
Most people contract the disease by inhaling mist or aerosol from a water
source contaminated with the bacteria. In some cases, the disease may be
transmitted by other ways, such as aspirating contaminated water. All
studies to date have shown that person-to-person spread does not occur. If
you have reason to believe you were exposed to the bacteria, talk to your
doctor or local health department.
Both Best Western Inn and Comfort Inn have provided hotel guest and phone
information to IDPH and the Logan County Health Department. The IDPH Health
Alert Network has sent a message to more than 800 phone numbers for hotel
guests, nationwide, informing them of possible exposure and encouraging them
to see their health care provider. To date, more than 200 people have called
the phone bank and approximately 30 have said they have experienced
symptoms.
LINCOLN
Health experts said a woman is dead after contracting a respiratory infection from a hotel pool in Illinois.
The Illinois Department of Public Health blames Legionnaires' disease for the 90-year-old's death.
State officials said she contracted the disease while staying at the Comfort Inn in Lincoln sometime in February.
Between 8,000 and 18,000 people are hospitalized each year in the U.S. with Legionnaires' disease.
Illinois has about 50 cases every year.
The disease can be very serious, leading to death in 5% to 30% of the cases.
"The symptoms which usually start appearing within 2 to 10 days of exposure can be fever, cough, shortness of breath initially," Logan County Health Department Administrator Mark Hilliard said.
The woman was not swimming in the pool or spa. But people who are around a pool can get the disease by just breathing in mist or water vapor that is contaminated.
LINCOLN, Ill., March 22 nd.
Health officials blamed a pool at a Lincoln, Ill., hotel for the Legionnaires' disease that killed three people and sickened 150, a report said Wednesday.
State and local health officials said they had contacted about 500 of the 900 people who stayed at the Lincoln Inn, formerly the Comfort Inn, since January.
At least 150 people were referred to their local health departments for symptoms of the naturally occurring bacteria first discovered 30 years ago at an American Legion convention in Philadelphia.
The three people who died of Legionnaires' disease include a Wisconsin resident and a 90-year-old Indiana woman.
Mark Hilliard of the Logan County, Ill., Health Department told the Copley News Service that March 7 tests found zero bacteria-killing chlorine in the hotel's pool and spa, which have been closed.
The hotel's owner could not be reached for comment, the report said.
Sweden
23rd March 2006
Six people have been taken ill with Pontiac Fever after having bathed in
the same spa in the Kronoberg region of Sweden.
Pontiac Fever is caused by the same bacteria as Legionnaires Disease but has
milder symptoms.
The jacuzzi where the disease was spread is maintained at 38-39 degrees
centigrade, a perfect temperature for the bacteria which cause the illness.
The owner of the spa is said to be inconsolable and has contacted all of
those who have been infected, reported Swedish Radio Kronoberg.
Doctor if infectious diseases Arne Runehagen believes that Pontiac Fever
will become increasingly common as more people invest in home spas and
outside pools. But he did not want to warn people against using jacuzzis.
"The people who run these places should have their own control programme and
then there won't be any danger," he sold SR.
According to the Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, Pontiac
Fever is not serious and clears up without treatment within a few days. The
symptoms are flu-like, with fever and aching muscles.
So far only a couple of other outbreaks of the disease have been reported in
Sweden. In those cases the source was also a jacuzzi.
24 Mar 2006
It has been confirmed that an elderly man died of Legionnaires disease in Beachlands last month, while a second man, who was the dead man's neighbour, is now recovering at home.
Medical Officer of Health Craig Thornley says the legionella bacteria was found in roof-collected rainwater supplies, but has also been traced to a waterblaster at a nearby marina.
He says it is not known if that was the source of the outbreak.
Craig Thornley says public health staff will be working with the community, which has about 1,000 households, to make sure all precautions are taken.
He says the discovery of legionella in roof-collected rainwater is a first for New Zealand.
24/03/2006
A warning for the Auckland suburb of Beachlands following confirmation of two cases of legionnaires disease
An elderly man has died and a 40-year-old is recovering after contracting the disease.
The Regional Public Health Service says it is hard to say where the men picked it up.
But Medical Officer Craig Thornley says legionella bacteria has been found in their water tanks and in the water blaster at a local marina.
He says it is too hard to tell for sure, but they are working on the assumption that legionella could be in other roof-collected water supplies.
Dr Thornley says people who have roof-collected water tanks should check them.
24/03/2006
Two cases of legionnaire's disease have been confirmed in Auckland, with one man dead and a second recovering from the illness.
Both cases are in the small Manukau City community of Beachlands.
The two men were neighbours.
Legionella bacteria have been found in both men's tank water supply, and also in the tank of a third nearby house.
Manukau Mayor Sir Barry Curtis says legionella bacteria may be found in other roof-collected water systems, but he has been assured the risk of it causing illness is small.
All households in Beachlands are being given advice on how to protect their water tanks against legionella.
Spain
19-04-2006
They detect a outbreak of legionella in Almuñécar (Granada)
The Department of Health of the Generalitat of Catalonia has communicated to the Delegation of Health of Granada fourteen cases of legionella, nine of them confirmed and five probable ones, in people of between 60 and 85 years that recently visited the granadina locality of Almuñécar.
According to the Generalitat and the Meeting in a joint official notice informed today, the affected ones have in common been to have lodged in a hotel establishment of the sexitano municipality, where the Delegation of Health of Granada has adopted measures already to avoid the propagation of the outbreak and for which has asked for the closing to prevent.
First of the cases he is the one of a woman of 77 years who began to have symptoms the 25 of March and that did not require hospitable entrance; whereas the second corresponds to a man of 73 years, who had the first symptoms the 1 of April and is admitted the Hospital of Viladecans (Barcelona).
On the other hand, a man of 77 years remains entered from the 5 of April in the Hospital of Viladecans, whereas the fourth detected case was the one of a man of 75 years who did not require hospitable entrance. Also he remains entered in the Hospital of Viladecans a old one of 75 years, whereas the Clínic Hospital (Barcelona) a man of 82 years from the 3 of April is admitted.
The Hospital of L'Esperit Sant of Santa Coloma de Gramanet (Barcelona) three women, one of 61 years and two of 60 years are admitted from beginnings of month, whereas in the hospitable center of Sant Pau a old one of 75 years remains from the 13 of April. According to the administrations, two cases have been notified by the Service of Epidemiología of Granada and are pending more of confirmation. One is two resident people in Catalonia, a woman of 62 years and a man of 85, who is admitted the Hospital of Motril (Granada). Also they are pending of being confirmed two detected cases more in Catalonia corresponding to a woman of 75 years that had symptoms the 8 of April and a man of 78 years that had the 7 of April, both hospitalized in the Clínic Hospital.
To these 13 cases it must add a man who died in his address day 13 of April and that the turn out of the autopsy is not known to be able to determine the relation with the affected others. Technicians of Environmental Health of the Sanitary District South Granada have come to the inspection of the suspicious establishment and have taken water samples of storage cells and a ornamental source, according to the same source, that added that treatment of thermal and chemical shock of the hot water has been carried out. Since the period of incubation of the disease is of 10 days, it is not possible to be discarded that it can previously appear some other infected case and that has not been detected.
A outbreak of legionella in a granadino hotel affects fourteen Catalans
20/04/2006
Writing. BARCELONA
Outbreak of legionella, that is thought that it was originated in a hotel of
the granadina locality of Almuñécar,, has infected fourteen Catalans,
according to informed the Department de Salut yesterday. The epidemiólogos
still analyse if a death happened the past day 13 obeys to the infection.
Salut, that works with the Meeting of Andalusia in the investigation, has
communicated to the delegation of Health of Granada fourteen cases of
legionela: nine confirmed and five of probable. One of the cases of
confirming would be the one of a person who died in her house day 13.
Ten of the affected ones still are hospitalised, nine in
centers of Catalunya (hospitals Clínic y Sant Pau de Barcelona, hospital de
Viladecans y Esperit Sant de Santa Coloma) and another person in
Motril.
All affected, the eight men and six women of between 60 and 85 years, have
in common that recently they were in Almuñécar and they lodged in the same
hotel. The sanitary authorities of Granada have requested the closing to
prevent of the establishment. Technicians of environmental health already
have inspected in the hotel and taken samples of water from storage cells
and a ornamental source. In three of the samples has been legionella.
The affected ones began to have symptoms of the infection or admitted the
hospital between the 25 of March and the 13 of April.
At the moment they are the 14 people affected by the outbreak of legionella: nine cases have been confirmed and the other five are probable, according to informed yesterday the Delegation into Health in Granada that. In addition, it investigates the possible relation of the outbreak with the death of a man who the past passed away 13 of April in his house of Barcelona and whose woman also would be affected by the bacterium, according to the Catalan Government warned.
All the infected ones, that lodged in the same sexitano hotel, are Catalan pensioners of between 60 and 85 years which they traveled until Almuñécar in several organized groups to spend his vacations, according to confirmed yesterday to 20 minutes the person in charge of the establishment.
During the trip and later
In some cases, the disease was detected in Granada and others once the pensioners returned to Catalonia, although all lodged in the same hotel, for that reason the technicians of Health have inspected the "establishment suspicious" and taken water samples of storage cells and a ornamental source. In addition, they have made a chemical treatment of thermal shock of the hot water, indicated Health.
On the other hand, the person in charge of the hotel recognized this newspaper that "these people spent their vacations here", although added that the centre of infection could be elsewhere". According to he said, the technicians also have taken samples in several restaurants from Almunecar and the airport from Granada.
Nine affected are entered in different Catalan hospitals, another one in the one of Motril and are to confirm five cases. Health has decreed the closing to prevent of the establishment to avoid greater risks.
They could appear more cases
The Delegation of Health noticed yesterday that the appearance of new cases of infected people of legionellosis cannot be discarded since the period of incubation of the bacterium is of ten days. Thus, the authorities continue to the delay of the results of the cultures reason why they recommended the closing to prevent of the establishment. Even so, the business continued open yesterday
Spain's Catalonia region reports 15 cases of Legionnaires' disease
21st. April 2006
The authorities of Spain's Catalonia region said that 15 Catalan retirees had been treated for Legionnaires' disease following a stay in a hotel in a southern Spanish town.
The retirees, all between 60 and 85 years old, had traveled to Almunecar, a town in the southern region of Andalucia as part of a package holiday. They had stayed in the same hotel between March 25 and April 12.
The first few cases were diagnosed in Granada in southern Spain and others were detected upon the pensioners' return to Catalonia.
The hotel was declared a "suspect establishment" afterward by health officials, who have taken water samples from the building's cisterns and an ornamental fountain.
A Granada government source said the hotel's water supply was the suspected source of the infection, adding that the local authority had ordered building to shut down on Wednesday evening as a precaution.
Officials said they were investigating whether the outbreak was linked to another which led to the death of a man in his home in Barcelona on April 13. The dead man's wife was also infected.
3 May 2006
granada
The Delegation of Health of the Meeting in Granada hopes to know the next week the results the second water samples of the hotel the Najarra de Almuñécar, where a outbreak of legionella was originated that has affected 18 people, to decide on the reapertura of the establishment.
Provincial delegate, Celia Go'mez, detailed that she will be at the end of the next week when they count on the results "to know if the thermal and chemical shock that became in its day has been effective".
On it the authorization will depend to be able to reopen the closed establishment of form to prevent the past from 20 of April.
It brings forth legionella
Rubí Spain
28-04-2006
Generalitat detects six cases of legionella in Rubi (Barcelona) The department of Health of the Generalitat has detected a outbreak of legionella in Ruby (Barcelona) that until the moment has affected six people, although only one remains entered and, according to consellería, he progresses favourably.
Ever since the past 25 of March detected the first symptoms, the technicians of the department of Health in collaboration with the City council of Ruby have inspected 23 companies located in a perimeter of about two kilometers with respect to the addresses of the affected ones. During the inspection it has been necessary to disinfect of urgency the cooling towers of the investigated facilities.
The six affected people, two women of 61 and 71 years and four men of 32, 48, 56 and 79, were admitted in the Hospital of Terrassa, the Mútua de Terrassa and the Hospital of Motril (Granada). Also, the department does not discard that they can appear new case of I infect, since the period of incubation is of ten days.
City of Rubí (Barcelona Province, Catalonia, Spain)
The Generalitat detects six cases of legionella in Rubi
29/04/2006
The Department of Health has detected a outbreak of legionella in Ruby (Western Vallès) that until the moment has affected six people, although only one remains entered since the past 25 of March pronounced the first symptoms.
The technicians of Health and the City council of Ruby have inspected 23 companies located in a radius of two kilometres with respect to the addresses of the affected ones, and the cooling towers of these facilities have become disinfected of urgency.
2 Legionnaires' disease cases confirmed
Hong Kong
12 May 2006
The Centre for Health Protection has confirmed two cases of Legionnaires' disease involving a 50-year-old Mainland man and a 51-year-old man from Tseung Kwan
O, bringing this year's total to six.
The Mainlander developed fever, headache, cough and malaise on May 7. He was admitted to Canossa Hospital on May 11. He is now in a stable condition.
The second patient developed fever and a cough on May 6. He was sent to Tseung Kwan O Hospital on May 10 and is now in a stable condition.
The family members of the two have not developed any symptoms.
Eleven cases of Legionnaires' disease were reported last year.
27 May 2006
The prefecture of Ille-and-Unpleasant announces six cases of Légionellose in the department since the beginning of the year. One of the people died about it. For the moment, the origin of this contamination is not given. A medical investigation is in hand.
The city already knew two important businesses. Two deaths in 2002 and five in the year 2000. The disease often contracts by the inhalation of tepid water droplets containing of the bacteria (légionelles), suspended in the air. Typically, the contamination can come from a system of air conditioning in a public place, for example.
Cooling Towers could, in certain cases, also to spread the légionelle one in their vicinity.
26 May 2006
The first case, whose symptoms began the 9 of May, was known the day before yesterday. Two of the affected ones already have been registered and the others could have it the next week. All have been treated in the Clínic Hospital and no of them is serious, according to the ASPB.
The agency has opened an investigation with the collaboration of all the health services of the zone in which the affected people reside. Also the sport facilities have been investigated, that have all the predicted protocols of control.
It was yesterday suspended to the use of "jacuzzi" and the zone of hot water, where these bacteria can grow, while the disinfection of shock was carried out. The rest of facilities is not affected. With these measures, the ASPB considers the risk controlled.
The Agency of Public Health of Barcelona (ASPB) has confirmed five cases of legionella, in addition to a suspicious case, between users of the Picornell swimming pools of Barcelona, reason why it has been suspended to the use of the hot water facilities and jacuzzi.
According to it has informed the ASPB and department into Health in an official notice, the five affected, that they have between 64 and 74 years of age, have been treated in the Clinical Hospital of Barcelona, where they remain entered three men who could be registered the next week, whereas the other two already have received the discharge. The first case was confirmed yesterday, 25 of May, although it the past presented/displayed symptoms of legionella from day 9 of May, reason why today the City council of Barcelona, to title of the Picornell swimming pools although managed by aid by an external sport organization, has suspended to the use of the hot water facilities and jacuzzi to make the corresponding disinfection.
The ASPB considers that with these measures ' the risk is controladó, although the appearance of new cases does not discard, dice the long period of incubation of this disease. Also, it has opened to an investigation environmental epidemiologist and with the collaboration of ambulatory and the hospitable centers of the zone where the affected ones reside to determine the origin of this outbreak of legionella.
According to the ASPB, the sport facilities, that are in the mountain of Montjuic, ' they had the anticipated protocols of control to this type of centers and maintenance services apropiados'.
They confirm five new cases of legionella in the Valencian
26th
May 2006
The Valencian Health registered during the
last week five new cases of pneumonía by legionella,
according to the Bulletin Weekly Epidemiologist of the
Conselleria de Sanidad.
The cases notified between the 14 and the 20 of May registered two in the area 3 that includes localities of the Flat Baixa and Alto Mijares in the province of Castellón.
Other two were detected in the area 16, that includes municipalities of the alicantina region of Baixa Navy, and the fifth case was registered in the city of Valencia.
The previous week, between the 7 and the 13 of May, three cases of pneumonía by legionella, one in the area 3, another one in area 20, the alicantina region of the Baix Vinalopó were registered, and third in the area 18, that includes populations of the regions of the Alt Vinalopó and vinalopó Mitjá, in Alicante
Detected a outbreak of legionella in the Second Extension of Pamplona
Spain
2nd June 2006
Thirteen people have been affected and nine of them have been entered in hospitable centers Thirteen people, of whom nine are entered in hospitable centers, have been themselves affected by a communitarian outbreak of pneumonía by "legionella pneumophilla" detected in II the Extension of Pamplona. The first notifications of the registered cases arrived yesterday at the department of Health coming from the Hospital of Navarre and the University Clinic, according to today informed in press conference the advisor into Health into the leasehold Government, Maria Kutz, who stressed that "all the affected ones progress well
Throughout this morning technical of the Institute of Public Health they have inspected thirty cooling towers in nine buildings of that zone of the Navarrese capital and in addition it has been come to the closing of the public sources of the White seats from Navarre, Merindades, Count of Water wheel, Prince of Viana and Media Moon. Advisor, who needed that the inspected buildings are as much of houses as of offices, aimed that some of those cooling towers will be closed of "form prevents
At the present time, of thirteen affected patients, five they remain entered in the Hospital of Navarre, two in the Virgin Hospital of the Way and two in the University Clinic, whereas other two, that was admitted the Hospital of Navarre, have already received the discharge and they were diagnosed two more ambulatorily and sent to its houses.
The study epidemiologist made in the affected ones has allowed the technicians of the Institute of Public Health to conclude that the affected ones live, works or has relation with that zone of Pamplona. In fact, eight reside in II the Extension, one works there, three make diverse activities in there and another person is a distributor.
Kutz emphasized so much the "prontitud" of the performance of the technicians of Public Health, like the favorable condition of the patients who continue to be in hospital.
The affected ones, whose ages oscillate between the 40 and 81 years, did not have diseases of previous base, which favors its progress, according to the advisor, who needed that this one is one pneumonía acquired in community, unlike outbreaks of legionella that occur in the hospitals, reason why it is inmunocompetentes patients".
It explained that the period of incubation of the disease is of two to ten days, reason why passes a time interval since one takes place I infect with those microorganisms until symptoms begin - high fever and respiratory symptoms and is admitted to hospital.
This causes that they can appear more cases of people infected previously, according to the advisor, who indicated that the diagnoses which she has they have done days 30 and 31 of May and 1 and 2 of June with people who previously were infected and recognized that the outbreak agrees with the purpose of week that was very warm in Pamplona.
Kutz, that indicated that there are no specific advice for the population that resides in this zone of the capital, indicated that already it has been let now the sanitary network and the services of urgencies, in case they appear new cases of having documented them and to make the corresponding study to them epidemiologist.
42 IN HOSPITAL
Already 100 test positive for Legionnaires' disease in Pamplona
Already 100 citizens - 42 in hospital - have tested positive for an outbreak of pneumonia caused by a bacterium called legionella pneumophila, detected on Friday in the old quarter of Pamplona/Iruña.
All those affected are making "satisfactory progress," as the Health Department of the Government of Navarre has confirmed.
In a statement, the Health Department pointed out that out of those 100 people affected, 44 are being treated at home. Likewise, it noted the 64-year-old woman admitted to the Intensive Care Unit is also making satisfactory progress.
Thus, at the moment there are 42 people in three different hospitals.
The councillor added 30 refrigeration plants were checked, out of which four were infected with legionella, but the rest had no presence of the bacteria.
Previous cases
This is not the first time a Legionnaires' disease outbreak is detected in Pamplona/Iruña. In 2001 six people died and the outbreak affected other 16 people who worked at the City Council and the Education Department.
THREE OF THEM RECEIVE INTENSIVE CARES
Increase up to 104 the affected ones by the outbreak of legionella in Pamplona
Monday
05/06/2006
PAMPLONA.
The number of people affected by the outbreak
of legionella detected in Pamplona ascends already to
104, of which 49 are entered in hospitable centers,
three of them in the Unit of Intensive Cares. All the
patients evolve "favorably" except a person who has
happened of plant to the UCI in the Virgin Hospital of
the Way and other than has been entered in the UCI of
the Hospital Miguel Servet de Zaragoza, according to
informed the advisor into Health, Maria Kutz, who
indicated that the patient who was in the UCI of the
Hospital of Navarre she also evolves favorably.
The advisor announced that, in agreement with the Ministry of Health, in the next meeting of the Commission of Public Health that will be celebrated in Madrid the 19 of June it has including in the daily routine a point related to the existing legislation for the control of the legionellosis.
Doctor Pablo Aldaz, director of the Institute of Public Health, indicated that epidemiologist has determined itself by the study who was made that the affected ones live, works or has relation with II the Extension of Pamplona. In that sense it said that the 30 existing cooling towers in the zone were inspected by seven technicians, of whom four of them, corresponding to three buildings, had the positive antigen of legionella, reason why was come from form "immediate" to its closing to prevent until a later study that dete