Media reports indicate that two workers at Selfridge Air National Guard Base near Detroit have been diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease. In total, at least thirty-one individuals have become sick with respiratory infections associated with the outbreak, six of whom were hospitalized. Two of the six hospitalized patients received confirmed diagnoses of Legionnaires’ disease.

The outbreak has been traced to two buildings housing the Army’s Tank-automotive Armaments Command (TACOM), a prominent weapons lab with a mix of civilian and military employees. TACOM’s commander, Major General Kurt Stein told the Air Force Times that “a pattern of illness became evident July 19. By July 22, we determined the common factor was duty location so we removed the individuals from those areas and informed the workforce.”

Remediation efforts are under way, with air-conditioning units and the facility’s cooling tower being sanitized. Test results on the remediation process’s effectiveness are reportedly expected within the next ten days.

The possibility that the Selfridge Airbase outbreak originated in the facility’s cooling tower illustrates the fact that Legionnaires’ disease is not only spread through contaminated pools or spas. In fact, some of the largest Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks—including the first known outbreak in 1976 at Philadelphia’s Bellevue-Stratford Hotel, the 1985 outbreak at Stafford District Hospital in the UK, and the 2000 outbreak at a Melbourne, Australia aquarium—have been caused by contaminated cooling towers.

We’ll continue to update you on this case as it develops.

The pool and hot tub at the Best Western Hotel in Socorro, New Mexico were closed in May after at least two guests of the hotel contracted Legionnaires’ disease, beginning an investigation and remediation process that has continued into July. The New Mexico Department of Health informed the management at the Best Western on May 7th that two former guests of the hotel had become ill with Legionnaires’ disease.

After the closure, the State Health Department began its investigation, taking samples from the pool and hot tub. The New Mexico Independent reports that officials water samples gathered from the hotel have tested positive for legionella, the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease. Ravi Bhasker, owner of the Socorro Best Western, a doctor, and also the mayor of the town, said in Socorro County’s El Defensor Chieftain that the pool and hot tub would remain closed until July 9th, when the New Mexico Environment Department is scheduled to retest the water.

Though the hot tub remained closed during the investigation, Dr. Bhasker admitted to the El Defensor Chieftain in the same article that the hotel did not post a notice to guests of any danger of legionella exposure, insisting that “there was no on-going risk” to guests. So far, the New Mexico Department of Health will only confirm that two individuals became ill and that “they potentially contracted the disease in Socorro.” However, the legionella-positive water sample and the lack of any other reported source of exposure suggest the Best Western as the most likely source of the outbreak.

We will continue to bring you updates on this case as they arise.

Over the past weekend a suspected Legionnaires’ disease outbreak has been identified in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area. Eight people have come down with the potentially fatal form of pneumonia. After receiving reports of the eight people, all in the Cudahy, Wisconsin area, seeking treatment for Legionnaires’ disease, state health officials launched an investigation into the potential outbreak. According to news media, health officials discovered eight individuals had recently stayed at the Aurora Saint Luke’s South Shore Hospital and it has now become the focus of the investigation. Outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease in hospitals are not an uncommon occurrence. Some examples of hospitals that have had cases of Legionnaires’ disease involving patients are a hospital in San Antonio, Texas in 2007, one in Rochester, New York in 2008, and another in Atlanta, Georgia in 2009. As of now, no information regarding the identities of those infected has been released. All eight individuals sought hospitalization for their illnesses. As of this weekend, five have been released, and three remained in the hospital.

The hospital is notifying all of its patients who stayed at the hospital between February 24th and March 10th of their risk for the disease. The number of patients at risk is over 1,000. Past patients are being instructed that if they fall into this group and are experiencing cold- or flu-like symptoms, they should immediately seek medical care. Legionnaires’ disease is a bacterial infection of respiratory system that can be cured with the administration of antibiotics.

State health officials have since toured the facility and declared it safe. According to media reports, all of the potential points of exposure have been treated or shut down since investigators identified Aurora Saint Luke’s Hospital as the potential source of the outbreak. These exposure points include shower heads, plant misters, hot tubs, respiratory equipment, and decorative fountains.

Ulster County health officials have indicated that the water system in the Golden Hill Health Care Center in Kingston, New York, was the source of the legionella bacteria that killed one resident and made another seriously ill from Legionnaires’ disease. Officials will send hot water through the system in the hopes of killing the bacteria. The system will then be tested later to see if the bacteria has been killed. Hot water systems in many facilities are often the source of the legionella bacteria because the water temperature is condusive to the bateria’s propogation. Taking a shower or using the faucet aerosolizes the water so that the bacteria can then enter the lungs of the person, thereby acquiring Legionnaire’s disease.

A nursing home in Ulster County, New York is a new focus for a suspected Legionnaires’ disease outbreak. The media reports that two residents of the Golden Hills Health Center have contracted the bacterial infection and were hospitalized as a result. Sadly, one victim, an 88-year-old woman, did not survive the disease. Officials have yet to release the names of the two individuals, but they have confirmed that both victims were women. The other was a 91-year-old. According to media reports, the only trait the two individuals had in common was the living facility they shared. While the nursing home hasn’t yet been established as the source of the disease, investigators are examining the nursing home’s water supply for traces of the legionella bacteria. Both the Ulster County and New York State Health Departments are involved in the investigation. Officials stated that water samples have been collected and sent to a laboratory for testing and hope to have results soon. In the meantime, the nursing home will begin preventative measures before water remediation efforts in hope begin. No residents are being removed from the facility, but residents are being monitored for flu-like symptoms over the next six months. Furthermore, residents are being asked to refrain from showering and advised to take baths instead since showers produce steam and water vapor that can contain legionella.

There is a recent update in the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak that occurred at a senior living facility in Baltimore, Maryland: a seventh case has been confirmed. Media reports indicated that the ill individual is a 72 year old woman. In early October the living facility was the site of six cases of legionellosis, or Legionnaires’ disease. Since the reported illnesses, the Centers for Disease Control has conducted an investigation, and the building’s management has hired a private firm to clean the building’s water system. After the initial outbreak was reported, residents were given cases of water by the building’s management to use instead of the building’s water system. However, the woman is the first reported case to have occurred after the attempted cleaning. It’s important to recognize that once legionella, the bacteria responsible for Legionnaires’ disease, has colonized a building’s water system, it will contaminate the entire system, which makes it difficult to completely eliminate.

A recent outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease at a Vernon Hills, Illinois retirement community has left two individuals dead and three ill. While confirmation of the fifth case arrived on November 14th, the illness is believed to have struck sometime in October, according to Kelly Jakubek, spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Public Health. The two deaths occurred in late September and early November. In addition to the five confirmed cases, several more suspected cases are under investigation. Investigations are being conducted by the CDC and Illinois Public Health Department, as well as an additional one being conducted by a private firm hired by the community’s management. Water samples were taken on November 5th with results estimated to return within two weeks. Among the suspected sources of the disease are the building’s 6-story rain forest atrium, waterfall and spa. Because legionellosis is contracted through the inhalation of tiny water droplets containing the legionella bacteria, these structures have been shut down. The Vernon Hills retirement community is home to roughly 260 residents.

An additional case of legionellosis, or Legionnaires’ disease, has been reported in the Baltimore, Maryland outbreak that originated, allegedly, from the senior living complex of an apartment building. This brings the total number of Legionnaires’ disease cases to six, with five still ill and one individual deceased. A Philadelphia-based company that specializes in treating legionella-infected buildings has been hired to clean the apartment complex’s water and ventilation systems. In the meantime, residents have been given the option of moving out of their apartments without forfeiting their security deposits. Officials are hoping the spread of the disease has been contained now that they system is being treated. In addition, the apartment’s management company is providing surgical masks for residents to wear, which may help mitigate additional infections.

A Legionnaires’ disease outbreak at an apartment complex in Baltimore, Maryland has left four individuals sick and one person dead. The outbreak occurred in the senior living facility of an apartment complex. The four people who have fallen ill are currently recovering. The apartment complex’s management first became aware of the disease’s presence on October 5th, 2009 when the family of the deceased notified them of the death. The management has notified all 400 of the building’s residents of the bacteria’s presence and is monitoring for early signs of any additional cases. Legionella, the bacteria responsible for causing Legionnaires’ disease, a deadly form of pneumonia, is most often found in warm water sources, such as hot water tanks and ventilation units. The disease is contracted through inhaling water droplets which contain the bacteria. The exact source of the legionella bacteria in the Baltimore apartment building has yet to be confirmed. State officials will soon begin testing water sources for the presence of legionella.

A Bethlehem, PA university worker has recently been diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease, the deadly form of pneumonia. So far, this is an isolated case, with only the one worker having a confirmed diagnosis. Students, staff, and faculty were notified of the incident as soon as the worker’s case was confirmed according to the University. The University immediately tested their heating and cooling system and water system after the diagnosis was reported. The water system tested clean, however, the HVAC system test came back positive for the presence of legionella, the bacteria that causes the disease. The ventilation system was shut down and cleaned thoroughly, reports indicate. It is currently up and running again.