Nosocomial Legionnaires' disease in England and Wales, 1980–92

Two hundred and eighteen nosocomial cases of Legionnaires' disease with 68 deaths were reported to the National Surveillance Scheme for Legionnaires Disease between 1980 and 1992, representing 15% of the reported infections acquired in England and Wales. Twenty–two nosocomial outbreaks accounte...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Epidemiology and infection 1994-04, Vol.112 (2), p.329-346
Main Authors: Joseph, C. A., Watson, J. M., Harrison, T. G., Bartlett, C. L. R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Bacterial Typing Techniques
Child
Child, Preschool
Cross Infection - epidemiology
Cross Infection - etiology
Cross Infection - prevention & control
Disease Outbreaks
England - epidemiology
Epidemiology
Female
Heart diseases
Hospital units
Humans
Immunosuppression - adverse effects
Infant
Infections
Legionella
Legionella pneumophila
Legionella pneumophila - classification
Legionellosis
Legionnaires disease
Legionnaires' Disease - epidemiology
Legionnaires' Disease - etiology
Legionnaires' Disease - prevention & control
Male
Middle Aged
Population Surveillance
Risk Factors
Seasons
Wales - epidemiology
Water supply
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Summary:Two hundred and eighteen nosocomial cases of Legionnaires' disease with 68 deaths were reported to the National Surveillance Scheme for Legionnaires Disease between 1980 and 1992, representing 15% of the reported infections acquired in England and Wales. Twenty–two nosocomial outbreaks accounted for 135 (62%) of these cases, the remainder occurring as single cases either in hospitals where other single cases or outbreaks had been reported in different years or as ‘sporadic’ cases in hospitals from which no other cases were reported. A clinical history prior to onset of Legionnaires' disease was available for 124 patients, 61 of whom had undergone recent transplant therapy or were immunosuppressed for other reasons. Sixty cases (27%) were diagnosed by culture of the organism and isolates from 56 patients were typed; 25 (42%) were non L. pneumophila serogroup 1 infections. Methods for prevention and control of nosocomial outbreaks are discussed, in particular the susceptibility to Legionnaires' disease of certain groups of hospital patients.
ISSN:0950-2688
1469-4409
DOI:10.1017/S0950268800057745