Published Date: 2001-10-17 23:50:00
Subject: PRO> Legionellosis - Spain (Murcia) (08)
Archive Number: 20011017.2555

LEGIONELLOSIS - SPAIN (MURCIA) (08)
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See Also

Legionellosis - Spain (Murcia) 20010710.1331
Legionellosis - Spain (Murcia) (07): ended 20010722.1431
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2001 21:25:26 +0100
From: Pablo Nart <p.nart@virgin.net>
Source El Pais, Espana 17 Oct 2001 [edited

The origin of the biggest Legionella epidemic registered to date is still
unknown. The bacterial strains found in 8 refrigeration towers are
different from the ones isolated in patients. Therefore it has not been
possible to determined the source of this epidemic that caused 4 dead
people and 800 clinical cases of pneumonia reported, of which 420 have been
confirmed so far, said Francisco Marques, head of the local health
department to the press during the presentation of the official report.
The report is based on data from the Centro Nacional de Epidemiologia
Instituto Carlos III in Madrid. The bacterial strain identified in people
and in the 8 refrigeration towers is: _Legionella pneumophila_, serogroup
1, major subtype Pontiac and minor subtype Philadelphia. Nevertheless an
additional technique capable of detecting single base variations in DNA
(AFLP from Applied Biosystems) has detected a molecular variant between the
groups of samples. Bacteria from the towers are "non I" while isolates from
people are "I". The total number of samples coming from affected people
analyzed is not given in the report.
The epidemic started the 7th of July and the last case was registered the
19th of July. From the more than 800 cases reported 420 are confirmed, and
the report estimates that the final number of confirmed cases could reach 650.
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