Legionella E-news, 11 October 2011
HC Info
Matthew R. Freije, Editor
**IN THIS ISSUE**
1. Eight Quick Questions for Our Non-US Subscribers
2. LD Among Residents of Two Pittsburgh Nursing Homes
3. Travel-Associated LD in Lazise, Italy
4. Nine Cases Among Travelers to Corfu, Greece
5. Four Recent Cases in Hamilton, Ontario
6. Hotel Relocates Guests After LD Reported
7. Researchers Recommend More Widespread Legionella Testing in Pneumonia Patients
8. Register for “Performing Legionella Assessments for HACCP Water Plans”
9. Book, Protect Yourself from Legionnaires’ Disease
1. EIGHT QUICK QUESTIONS FOR OUR NON-US SUBSCRIBERS
HC Info is considering internship opportunities for graduate students from the USA who are interested in business development in other countries. We have received student interest particularly in Brazil and Argentina but are certainly open to sending interns to other countries as well (Probably half or more of Legionella Enews subscribers are from outside the United States.). If your work relates in any way to hospitals, hotels, office buildings, nursing homes, or apartment buildings outside the United States, please take five minutes to complete our eight-question survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/XJ3BS8P.
2. LD AMONG RESIDENTS OF TWO PITTSBURGH NURSING HOMES
Last month 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: www.pittsburghlive.com.
3. TRAVEL-ASSOCIATED LD IN LAZISE, ITALY
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).
4. NINE CASES AMONG TRAVELERS TO CORFU, GREECE
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.
5. FOUR RECENT CASES IN HAMILTON, ONTARIO
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: www.thespec.com
6. HOTEL RELOCATES GUESTS AFTER LD REPORTED
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.
7. RESEARCHERS RECOMMEND MORE WIDESPREAD LEGIONELLA TESTING IN PNEUMONIA PATIENTS
Based on a retrospective study of nearly 4,000 patients at a single hospital over an 18-month period, researchers estimated that many legionellosis cases are missed under current US guidelines. Read a summary article at http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110927112543.htm and the full paper at http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1471-2334-11-237.pdf.
8. REGISTER FOR “PERFORMING LEGIONELLA ASSESSMENTS FOR HACCP WATER PLANS”
Come to beautiful San Diego on October 20th to prepare for ASHRAE Standard 188 by learning to perform facility assessments for HACCP Legionella water plans. Following the step-by-step process that will be taught in this seminar, anyone familiar with plumbing systems and cooling towers can perform the assessments–extensive legionella knowledge is not required.
If you have responsibility for a hotel, hospital, nursing home, office building, or apartment tower, you can learn how to assess your own facility and get a high quality HACCP water plan at a low cost.
Water treatment companies, engineering firms, and indoor environmental consulting firms can find out how to better serve their customers and get new ones by offering Legionella assessments and HACCP plans.
Tuition is $480. Seating is limited so go now to www.hcinfo.com/seminar6.htm to register or get more information.
9. BOOK, PROTECT YOURSELF FROM LEGIONNAIRES’ DISEASE
The book is available in softover for $29.00 from Amazon.com’s Createspace (https://www.createspace.com/3490712) and in PDF, Kindle, and other electronic formats for $19.95 from Smashwords (https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/27209). You’ll see from survivors’ stories just how horrible the disease is and find out how to avoid it in public and at home. Advice is given about water heaters, softeners, filters, humidifiers, and new home design and construction. Go to http://www.hcinfo.com/ProtectYourselfFromLegionnairesDisease.htm for more information.
Legionella E-news is a free monthly international e-newsletter that covers recent outbreaks, new publications, and new technology. To subscribe, go to http://hcinfo.com.