Posted on 04/20/2005 5:09:14 AM PDT by Calpernia
NEW YORK State health officials are investigating the death of a Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center patient, which may have been caused by an outbreak of Legionnaire's disease.
The officials believe the bacteria may have been in the hospital's water system.
Richard Montesano died last Wednesday shortly after coming to the hospital for a heart condition.
He was using a machine that sprayed water in his throat to fight sleep apnea, but the hospital did not warn his family that tap water could be dangerous.
Legionnaire's disease can be found in the water systems of large buildings and is hazardous to people whose immune systems have been weakened.
The hospital has since turned off its faucets and began using bottled water while it sterilizes its pipes.
The New York City medical examiner ruled that Montesano died of an infection after a catheter was placed in his arm. But lab results are expected to determine whether Legionnaire's was a factor.
Columbia Presbyterian officials say the hospital regularly monitors its system for Legionnaire's disease.
NOTE: Water System is suspected.
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A shame more details are not available, this sounds like some media hype. Until all data are available, and an autopsy and inquest has determined cause of death, anything else is pure speculation.
I thought it was an airborne bacteria.
Where is the Legionella bacterium found?
What is being done to prevent legionellosis?
Legionellosis is an infection caused by the bacterium Legionella pneumophila. The disease has two distinct forms:
Legionnaires' disease acquired its name in 1976 when an outbreak of pneumonia occurred among persons attending a convention of the American Legion in Philadelphia. Later, the bacterium causing the illness was named Legionella.
Is this implying that it is common for Legionnaire's disease to be found in large buildings and all should be suspect?
That is how I read it too. Hence is why I did more searches and posted more links with info.
Sorry... I should have waited longer before posting, you post wasn't up yet.
Don't be silly. I was agreeing with you and was surprised by the implications of it being common in water.
It's a scary & potentially deadly disease.
Like I always say once you go into the hospital you come out sicker or not at all!
Where is the Legionella bacterium found?
Legionella organisms can be found in many types of water systems. However, the bacteria reproduce to high numbers in warm, stagnant water (90°-105° F), such as that found in certain plumbing systems and hot water tanks, cooling towers and evaporative condensers of large air-conditioning systems, and whirlpool spas. Cases of legionellosis have been identified throughout the United States and in several foreign countries. It is believed to occur worldwide.
Legionnaire’s Disease
Prepared by Carina Blackmore M.S. Vet. Med., Ph.D.
(Legionellosis)
DOH Regional Epidemiologist
Legionellosis was first recognized in 1976 after an explosive outbreak of pneumonia (with 182 cases and 29 deaths) among participants of the American Legion’s convention in Philadelphia
The source of the bacteria, Legionella pneumophilia, was never determined, although it appeared to be airborne. By 1978 researchers had found the organism growing in cooling towers or evaporative condensers of air-conditioning systems at the sites of several outbreaks and hypothesized that the
equipment may aid in disseminating the organism into the air.
Further investigations have revealed that bacteria in the genus Legionella are ubiquitous in the environment. Modern technology has made a few of them important human pathogens.
Legionella pneumophilia parasitize amobae, other protozoa or bacteria that occasionally contaminate warm (90-115°F) water reservoirs. By aerosolizing infested water from humidifiers, respiratory therapy equipment, showers etc., the organism can be inhaled in small droplets into the lung alveoli.
In the lungs they invade and kill the protozoa-like phagocytic immune cells. Toxin production by the bacteria also contributes to the development of pneumonia. The disease is not transmissible from person to person.
Good grief. It's a wonder we don't hear more about this disease.
Arizona Tucson
Lo Que Pasa August 30, 1996
Water system chlorinated to destroy Legionella
Super-chlorination of the Arizona Health Sciences Center water system was done this week as a continuing effort to destroy Legionella bacteriaIn August, following recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and the Arizona Department of Health Services, University Medical Center super-chlorinated its water systern to destroy the bacteria.
Since the beginning of the year, UniversityMedical Center has seen an increased incidence of Legionellosis, a bacterial disease that can cause pneumonia, with seven cases being diagnosed at UMG. All of the cases involved patients with severely suppressed immune systems.
The Legionella bacterium is common in the environment. People at greatest risk are those whose immune systems have been suppressed. Legionellosis can be easily treated with the common antibiotic, erythromycin.
"lt's important for people to know this is very common in the environment. According to the CDC, it's in 30 percent of large buildings and 50 percent of large air conditioning systems with Legionella, because it can be found everywhere in the environment. It's a serious issue and we have followed all CDC recommendations."
The disease was responisable for the deaths of two transplant patients and sickening five others.
ADHS confirmed 12 cases in this state this year, two in Pima County
1996,
Arizona and Ohio Nosocomial Legionnaires Disease
Two hospitals reported sustained transmission of nosocomial Legionnaires disease (LD). The hot water distribution systems in each hospital were implicated as the sources of infection. This report summarizes investigations in these two hospitals by hospital personnel, state and local health officials, and CDC and efforts to control transmission. Arizona, 1987–1996 In 1996, eight cases of nosocomial LD were diagnosed among cardiac and bone marrow transplant patients at hospital X. Possible nosocomial LD was first reported at hospital X in 1979, but no source had been identified. Intensified surveillance for noso-comial LD was initiated after the first three case-patients were identified in 1996.
A case of definite nosocomial LD in a hospital X patient was defined as respiratory illness with a new infiltrate on chest roentgenogram occurring after ³10 days of con-tinuous hospitalization for a nonpneumonia illness and laboratory confirmation of le-gionellae infection by at least one of the following:
1) isolation of legionellae from tissue or respiratory secretions,
2) detection of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 (Lp-1) antigens in urine by radioimmunoassay or enzyme immunoassay, or
3) a four-fold rise in Legionella serogroup-specific antibody titer to ³128 between acute- and convalescent-phase serum specimens. Possible nosocomial LD was defined as onset of respiratory symptoms of LD after 2–9 days of continuous hospitalization (the incu-bation period for LD is usually 2–10 days).
Through intensified surveillance and examination of infection-control and micro-biology laboratory records, 25 cases of LD linked to hospitalization during 1987–1996 were identified; 16 were definite cases, and nine were possible cases (Figure 1). All were diagnosed by culture. The median age of case-patients was 56 years (range: 17– 81 years); 13 (52%) were male. Most case-patients had received either heart or heart/lung transplants (11 [44%]) or bone marrow transplants (seven [28%]). Seven (28%) other patients were either immunocompromised (four) or had some form of chronic illness (three). Twelve (48%) patients died during their hospitalization; eight of these patients had LD identified on autopsy. During January–September 1996, cases of nosocomial LD occurred among eight (6%) of the 134 cardiac and bone marrow transplant patients.
Based on a case-control study that matched the 25 case-patients with 49 controls (only one appropriate control was available for one case-patient) by age, date of ad-mission to hospital X, and underlying medical condition, no single risk factor for ac-quisition of disease was identified. However, information about exposure to showers, other aerosol sources, or ingested water for some patients was unavailable.
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