Outbreaks of Legionnaires' DiseaseThis page has been moved to our new website. Go to www.hcinfo.com
Travelers to Greece, 9 cases, Aug.-Oct. 2011
Nine cases of LD have been identified in the UK among people who had
traveled to the Greek island Corfu since August. UK and Greek public
health officials are investigating potential sources in both the UK and
Corfu.
Top Pittsburgh nursing homes, 10 cases, Sept. 2011
In September the Allegheny County (Pennsylvania) Health Department
initiated an investigation of the domestic water systems in two nursing
homes where a total of 10 cases of Legionnaires' disease were
identified. Three of the cases required hospitalization but no deaths
were reported. Source: pittsburghlive.com.
Top Hotel in Ocean City, MD, 3 cases, Sept. 2011 A hotel in Ocean City, Maryland relocated its guests to other Ocean City hotels and closed early for the season, on September 29th, after the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) reported three cases of Legionnaires' disease among people who had stayed there. Each of the three cases developed Legionnaires' symptoms about a week after their stay at the hotel and were hospitalized. Top
Hamilton, Ontario, 4 cases, Aug.-Sept. 2011
Health officials are investigating four cases of Legionnaires' disease,
the first of which was reported in mid August and the other three since
Sept. 22, to determine whether there is a common source. The
investigators focused on cooling towers located on the east side of the
city. Source: thespec.com
Top In August the UK's Health and Safety Executive, as well as the police, investigated a fatal case of Legionnaires' disease that occurred in a patient of an Essex hospital where three other patients died from Legionella infections in the last nine years. Three cases were identified at the hospital in 2010, one of which was fatal. The hospital said that it has been disinfecting and monitoring its plumbing system since the first case of Legionnaires' was identified there in 2002. Sources: basildonrecorder.co.uk and bbc.co.uk Top
Travelers to Italy, 17 cases, July-Aug. 2011
Seventeen cases of Legionnaires' disease were reported in travelers who
stayed at two campsites and three hotels in Lazise, Italy between early
July and the end of August. Their ages ranged from 42 to 78 years.
Sixteen of the cases were confirmed by urinary antigen tests. None of
the cases resulted in death. The cases were discovered through the
European Legionnaires' Disease Surveillance Network (ELDSNet).
Top Shredding plant workers, July 2011 The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently investigated five cases of Legionnaires' Disease in workers at a shredding plant in upstate New York. The last of the five cases was identified in July. Legionella was found in water samples collected from several pools of standing water, in water dripping from the shredder (Water is used for cooling and lubrication in the shredders.), and on swabs of a conveyor belt. The investigators believed that standing water was the source of contamination. All the workers who were Legionella-positive worked around standing water or near a conveyor. The NIOSH report, dated July 22, 2011, recommended that all standing water be eliminated in the facility and on the grounds, that workers in the areas where cases occurred wear respirators, and that conveyors be disinfected with chlorine. Source: Times-Shamrock Top
Legionnaires' disease was reported in guests of a hotel on the Las Vegas
strip this month. Health officials investigated the same hotel last year
after reports of the disease. Legionella was found in the hot water
system in several guest rooms.
Top Three residents of a Cleveland nursing and rehab facility were hospitalized with Legionnaires' disease in June. The facility provided bottled drinking water and restricted showers until the water system was disinfected. Source: cleveland.com Top
New Zealand, 3 cases, April 2011
Three New Zealand men who worked near one another contracted
Legionnaires' disease in April. Health officials focused their
investigation on cooling towers. Source: radionz.co.nz
Top
A hotel in Scotland closed its an indoor heated pool and spa and other
"leisure club" facilities in March after employees and guests reported
flu-like symptoms. One person was hospitalized with confirmed
Legionnaires' disease. In all, 112 people contracted a flu-like illness
with respiratory infection.
Top
According to the Los Angeles County Health Department, about 200 people
who attended a February 3rd fundraiser at the Playboy Mansion were
infected by Legionella bacteria. Four of them contracted Legionnaires'
disease; the rest had Pontiac fever, a flu-like illness that lasts about
three days. News reports mentioned a fog machine at the event. [Pontiac
fever has a much higher attack rate than does Legionnaires' disease, >
90% as opposed to < 5%, and a shorter incubation period, usually 6-48
hours as opposed to 2-14 days. -- mrf]
Top
Four heart patients of a new hospital in Ohio were diagnosed with
confirmed Legionnaires' disease this month, three of whom have been
discharged. The hospital is investigating the plumbing system in its new
patient tower, which began admitting patients in late December.
Top
Eye clinic
in UK, 3 cases, Jan. 2011
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