Legionella outbreak sickens 7 in Hamilton
August 28, 2008
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Nicole MacIntyre
TORSTAR NEWS SERVICES
Public health officials are hunting for the source of a legionella outbreak that has sickened seven Hamiltonians this month.
But Dr. Elizabeth Richardson, the city's medical officer of health, warns officials may never know the source of the respiratory illness.
So far, the only link is that five of the patients suffering from legionnaires' disease live in lower Stoney Creek or lower east Hamilton.
Though the scattering of cases in the community is considered unusual – most outbreaks are connected to a single exposure point like a seniors' home or spa – it is actually "very common," said Dr. Victor Yu, an American legionella expert. If every person with pneumonia was tested for legionnaires' disease, there would be thousands of cases in Canada and the United States every year, said Yu, a University of Pittsburgh professor.
Research suggests that upwards of 10 per cent of people with pneumonia have legionnaires. The majority go undiagnosed, Yu said.
The age of some of the Hamilton patients is unusually young, Richardson said. The ages span from the 20s to seniors in their 70s.
Tests from the first four patients' homes came back negative for the bacteria. More tests are pending.
Test results confirmed two new cases of the disease this week, bringing the tally to seven since the beginning of August.
The city already had three cases earlier in the year. In a normal year the city has zero to three cases.
Five of the patients have already been released from hospital. The two remaining are expected to recover, Richardson said.
Richardson said officials do not know if the bacteria are coming from a large air-conditioning cooling tower. Upwards of 40 per cent of cooling towers test positive for legionella bacteria. Richardson said it's more likely to lead to illness when the tower isn't functioning properly and the infected mist or water droplets are inhaled by someone with existing health problems.
Hamilton Spectator
Toronto Star
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