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The disease created such paranoia and fear in the community that it even turned family members against each other. The second largest outbreak was at the Stafford hospital in England in 1985 a total of 101 people contracted the disease and 28 died. The British government held two Committees of Inquiry and the Expert Advisory Committee on Biocides. http://www.q-net.net.au/~legion/Legionnaires_Disease_Stafford_Hospital.htm Much has been written about these inquiries and they have been surrounded by much controversy. The Outbreak of Legionnaires Disease at the Melbourne Aquarium Victoria Australia April 2000 is now running second with the Stafford Hospital 101 cases 4 Deaths* *To be confirmed Australia has had three significant outbreaks of Legionnaires` Disease. Two traced to air conditioning systems and one to shower storage tanks, though none of them occurred in Western Australia. Health authorities in Australia now recommend that central air conditioning systems in major buildings be cleaned before commissioning and then twice a year, or before starting after an extended shut-down. The largest outbreak in Australia was in Wollongong in 1987. 44 cases required hospitalisation and 10 people died. It turned a thriving shopping centre into a ghost town. It has a devastating affect on everyone that has come into contact with the disease. The mortality rate is always very high. Outbreaks of the disease in New South Wales (Australia), in 1992 and 1995, resulted in several deaths. Recent outbreaks in Melbourne Victoria in 1998 resulted in several deaths The only outbreak recorded in Saudi Arabia in 1993, resulted in 4 people contracting the disease and two dying. A recent death in New Zealand through potting mix was self diagnosed. The person concerned told her doctor that she had Legionnaire's Disease and died several weeks later. Unusual Cases There has been many unusual stories written about the disease. A few years ago a HIV positive man threw himself off Waterloo Bridge in London. He was pulled from the river Thames and saved. Eleven days later he was rushed to hospital with Legionnaires` Disease and nearly died. The banks of the river Thames were tested and returned negative results. A possible person to person case was reported in 1978. An outbreak in the USA affected 60 people, the cause was never found. The hospital was undergoing renovations and a considerable amount of dust was created at the time. Locations Where The Disease Thrives Low Levels of Legionella are widely distributed in dust, soil and water. Findings have been reported from such diverse sources as lakes, water holes, streams, sewerage and water supplies. It has been found to travel long distances on the wind. An outbreak in Scotland confirms this. Accumulations have been found in the plumbing of such large buildings as hotels and hospitals, and also in private homes. Legionella Pneumophila has since been found to be a very common organism, living in soil and water, but in densest concentrations where there are warm, moist conditions, as found in:- Streams Soil Dams Water ways Cooling Towers Evaporative Condensers Spas Whirlpools Nebulisers Humidicribs Emulsified cutting fluids Hot water systems Potting mix Decorative fountains Ice Machines Evaporative Coolers Fire sprinkler systems Epilogue Though outbreaks are rare, it always results in much speculation about the disease. It has significant effects on people that have been associated with the disease.
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