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Outbreaks
Documented
sources of outbreaks have been in hot and cold
water systems, cooling towers, spa baths and oil/water
emulsions used for lubricating lathes.
Details
of some of the more recent cases are details below:
- Redditch,
UK, 3 Cases, 2 Deaths, September 2004
As of mid September health officials had not
found the source of contamination that has caused
three cases of Legionnaires' disease in Redditch.
Two women, aged 62 and 67 years, have died.
The third case, a man in his 50s, was hospitalized
but is now recovering at home. Of 69 samples
collected, five tested positive, but not with
the strains found in the people who became ill.
Results of further tests are pending.
Source: news media
- USA,
Nursing Home, 2 Cases, 1 Death, July 2004
Two cases of Legionnaires' disease were reported
in early July in Paterson, New Jersey. Both
were residents of the same senior housing center.
One of the cases, an 82-year-old man, died 8
July. The other, a 76-year-old woman, was recovering
in the hospital as of 14 July. After finding
legionellae in the hot water, Paterson Housing
Authority officials shut off the system and
prepared to disinfect it.
Source: New Jersey Star-Ledger
- Hereford,
UK, 28 Cases, 2 deaths, December 2003
"Second
death in Legionnaires' outbreak"
A second person has died from Legionnaires'
Disease in Hereford, a month after contracting
the bug which has infected 28 people.
The woman, who was in her 50s, was the second
person originally diagnosed with Legionnaires'
during the outbreak.
Health chiefs said the woman, who had other
medical problems, died in hospital on Monday
evening.
Two new cases of the disease in Hereford were
confirmed on Monday.
Source: bbc.co.uk : full
story
- 5
Cases, 1 Death Among Cruise Passengers, August
2003
On 26 August German health authorities reported
five cases of Legionnaires' disease among people
who traveled on a cruise ship from 6-23 August
2003. One of them, a 69-year-old German man,
has died. LD was confirmed by urinary antigen
in three of the patients and was suspected in
the other two. The ship visited Iceland, Greenland,
and northern parts of Great Britain and then
returned to Germany. The source of contamination
has not been identified.
Source: Reuters
- France,
30 Cases, 3 Deaths, August 2003
Health authorities have reported 30 cases of
Legionnaires' disease and 3 deaths in the southern
French city of Montpellier. The last case was
reported on 10 August. Investigators have found
legionellae in several cooling towers in the
center of Montpellier but have not identified
the precise source of the outbreak. Disinfection
measures have been implemented.
Source: WHO
- Valencia,
Spain, 25 Cases, 1 death, June 2003
In two or more separate outbreaks occurring
in May and June in Valencia, 25 cases of legionellosis
have been identified, one of which resulted
in death. The first was a community outbreak
in Alcoy and nearby areas. The second outbreak
was associated with the oncology unit and adjacent
rehabilitation area of a hospital; seven cases
were identified, four patients and three visitors.
One of the patients died. Investigators quickly
traced the infections to the hospital’s
hot water system, blaming two showers as the
particular source of contamination. The health
department reported that the hospital collected
environmental samples, hyperchlorinated the
domestic water system, disinfected the rehabilitation
pool, and began distributing higher water temperatures
to faucets and showers.
Source: ABC.es
- Spain
Spa, 4 Cases, May 2003
Spanish health authorities believe that four
recent cases of LD were associated with a spa
that provides water-based treatments. All four
cases were hospitalized and are recovering.
An environmental investigation was conducted
but a source of contamination was not confirmed.
Source: Diario de Avisos
- UK
Hotel, 19 Cases, February 2003
19 cases of Legionnaires' disease, including
two deaths, have been blamed a resort hotel
near Chard (UK). Health officials suspect the
hotel's whirlpool spa is the source of contamination
but have not reported a confirmed link. The
showers and spa bath at the hotel leisure center
were closed on 27 February 2003 but allowed
to reopen on 31 March after officials were satisfied
that the remedial work had been carried out.
Source: BBC News
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