Legionella E-news -- 16 May 2008
Legionella E-news, 16 May
2008
HCInfo
Matthew R. Freije, Editor
**IN THIS ISSUE**
1. Four Workers Cleaning Tanks Contract LD
2. Medicare Proposes to Reduce Payments for Hospital-Acquired LD
3. Four Cases Among Orlando Hotel Guests
4. Vermont Hotel Shut Down After 3 Cases of LD
5. Car Wash Suspected in Five Cases in Victoria
6. Book Reviews
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1. FOUR WORKERS CLEANING TANKS CONTRACT LD
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In January four individuals suspected of having SARS were admitted to an
Iranian hospital where it was later determined that they were suffering
from Legionnaires' disease. Their job was to clean water tanks. Source:
Gulf News
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2. MEDICARE PROPOSES TO REDUCE PAYMENTS FOR HOSPITAL-ACQUIRED LD
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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is proposing to add
Legionnaires' disease to the list of hospital-acquired conditions (HACs)
“which are reasonably preventable through proper care and for which
Medicare will no longer pay at a higher rate if the patient acquires
them during a hospital stay.”
“When these conditions occur during a hospital stay, the patient and his
or her family suffer needlessly. To make matters worse, these conditions
are likely to result in higher medical bills for the family to pay for
additional services for physician care, prescription drugs, and other
items and services that would not have been necessary if proper care had
been provided," said CMS Acting Administrator Kerry Weems.
If the proposed rule is finalized, beginning in October Medicare will no
longer pay hospitals at a higher rate for Legionnaires' disease or any
of the other conditions on the list, if they were acquired during the
hospital stay. Source: medicalnewstoday.com
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3. FOUR CASES AMONG ORLANDO HOTEL GUESTS
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Guests of an Orlando hotel were asked to leave in mid-March after two
were hospitalized with Legionnaires' disease. After further
investigation, the Orange County Health Department confirmed a total of
four cases among the hotel's guests. The hotel was voluntarily shut down
for a brief period. Source: news media. News video:
http://www.local6.com/health/15595503/detail.html
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4. VERMONT HOTEL SHUT DOWN AFTER 3 CASES OF LD
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State health officials closed a Vermont hotel in April after confirming
a third case of Legionnaires' disease among its guests over a six month
period. The hotel guests were asked to leave and all hotel employees
ordered out. The health department issued a 17-step remediation plan for
the hotel that included initial and continuous chlorination and
additional water testing. Source: news media
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5. CAR WASH SUSPECTED IN FIVE CASES IN VICTORIA
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Four men, ages 30, 45, 51, and 55, and a 48-year-old woman were
hospitalized in Werribee this month after contracting Legionnaires'
disease. The Department of Human Services closed down a car wash after
finding that four of the five cases had used it. Sources: Australia
Herald Sun and Star News Group
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6. BOOK REVIEWS
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Book reviews are planned for upcoming issues of Legionella E-news,
beginning with the new book Legionella: Molecular Microbiology, edited
by Klaus Heuner and Michele Swanson. If you would like to submit a
legionella-related book for review, please send it to HCInfo, 221 La Barranca Drive,
Solana Beach, CA 92075, USA. If you would like to write the book review
yourself, please email it to hcinfo@hcinfo.com, with your CV or bio,
when you mail the book.
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