Catalunya: Nine people affected in two outbreaks of legionella, although none of them is in danger.

Over 90% of legionellosis cases are caused by Legionella pneumophila, a ubiquitous aquatic organism that thrives in temperatures between 25 and 45 °C (77 and 113 °F), with an optimum around 35 °C (95 °F)

Catalunya: Nine people affected in two outbreaks of legionella, although none of them is in danger.

Catalunya has been two outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease during the last week in Premià de Mar and Granollers (Barcelona), which has affected a total of nine people, although none is in danger and only three remain hospitalized, sources from the Department of Health informed Europe Press.

In the first case four people were affected, two men and two local women who have been diagnosed and treated at the Hospital of Mataró (Barcelona). Two of them have already been discharged.

Those affected started displaying symptoms on 21 June. In Granollers, the infection has affected five people-four men and one woman, who have been treated at the Clinic of Pilar de Barcelona and Hospital de Granollers, of that five, four people have been discharged. In this case the first symptoms appeared three days later, on 24 June. The Epidemiological Surveillance Unit is conducting epidemiological surveys of those affected and making follow-up checks.

The three patients still in hospital are in a "very favourable" condition, according to health specialists, although the incubation period is about ten days, so it is possible that new cases may appear in the coming days. The Public Health Department has inspected the cooling towers, all located outside the village and are within a radius of 1.5 kilometres. In all cases, it has issued an order to do preventive disinfection shock.

The sprinkler irrigation and nebulisers were also inspected in the study areas, which have been closed, disinfected and samples were taken for analysis. Inspections are undertaken by technicians from the Agency for Health Protection with the help of technicians of the council. The Ministry advises the public to be aware that Legionella is not spread by contact, you can safely drink water from public supply.

Legionnaires' disease acquired its name in July 1976 when an outbreak of pneumonia occurred among people attending a convention of the American Legion in Philadelphia. On January 18, 1977 the causative agent was identified as a previously unknown bacterium, subsequently named Legionella. Some people can be infected with the Legionella bacterium and have only mild symptoms or no illness at all.





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