Published Date: 2012-02-03 17:02:30
Subject: PRO/EDR> Legionellosis - Spain (02): (AN) hotel
Archive Number: 20120203.1031069
LEGIONELLOSIS - SPAIN (02): (ALICANTE) HOTEL
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A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org
[1]
Date: Wed 1 Feb 2012
Source: Sky.com [edited]
http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16161194
At least 9 British pensioners have received hospital treatment for Legionnaires' disease after a stay at Spanish hotel, it has been reported.
A 76-year-old man is in an intensive care unit at the Benidorm Clinic; 2 more are being treated on regular wards while a 4th has already been allowed home. Dr Delfin Arzua from the clinic said: "4 British holidaymakers were admitted with symptoms of pneumonia and tests have confirmed Legionnaires' disease." 5 more pensioners were treated in UK hospitals after suffering symptoms when they returned home from Spain.
They all fell ill after holidaying at the 4-star AR Diamante Beach hotel in Calpe, on the Costa Blanca, local journalist Tom Worden told Sky News. Legionnaires' disease is a potentially fatal form of pneumonia most likely to affect the elderly or ill. People catch the disease by inhaling small droplets of water from the air that contain the bacteria.
A spokesman for travel agent Saga said holidaymakers were moved to another nearby hotel after the cases were reported and a British scientist was sent to investigate the suspected outbreak. The scientist found no trace of the bug in the hotel but he did recommend some changes to the plumbing. A spokeswoman for the Alicante health authority said: "Once the alert was raised the entire water and sanitation structure of the hotel was cleaned. As the incubation period is 10 to 12 days we cannot rule out new cases in the next few days."
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Communicated by:
Denis Green
<legion@q-net.net.au>
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[2]
Date: Fri 3 Feb 2012
Source: Google News [edited]
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gRi4r-rWyANlbGm9ccKjUI1uUE8w?=docId=3DCNG.e0f54ea0eaa4c8a63ff3173e7320ba46.291
A total of 3 British tourists have died after catching Legionnaires' disease in a Spanish seafront hotel, regional authorities said, as they shut the hotel down to prevent further spread of the deadly bug.
"Analyses on the 3 deceased, of British nationality, aged between 73 and 78 years, found pneumonia caused by Legionnaires' [disease]," said the regional government of Valencia in a statement published late Thursday [2 Feb 2012].
14 cases of infection -- including 10 British tourists and 4 Spaniards -- were detected in the hotel at the resort of Calpe, on Spain's east coast. "We will close the tourist establishment as a preventive measure," the statement said, adding that the authorities were certain there would be no new cases.
The disease, caused by the bacteria _Legionella_, leads to a severe form of pneumonia, which can be fatal. It is contracted through inhalation of contaminated water droplets and is not known to be transmitted from person to person.
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Communicated by:
Paul R Hunter
Professor of Health Protection
Editor, Journal of Water and Health
The Norwich School of Medicine
University of East Anglia
<paul.hunter@uea.ac.uk>
[ProMED-mail previously posted a report of this outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease (see Legionellosis – Spain (02): (AN) hotel 20120122.1018077) among British nationals who stayed at a hotel (named in the 1st news report above as the AR Diamante Beach Hotel) in Calpe, Costa Blanca, Spain. In the earlier post (22 Jan 2012) there were 4 confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease, 5 possible cases and 16 cases still being investigated. There are apparently now 14 confirmed cases (10 British and 4 Spanish nationals), with 3 deaths among the British nationals.
For a discussion of legionellosis, see ProMED-mail post: Legionellosis - Spain (05): Madrid 20101115.4142. Dr Steve Berger has noted that rates of legionellosis have been increasing in Spain (http://www.gideononline.com/2010/06/12/legionellosis-in-spain/). It is not known if this is due to increased reporting or an actual increase in acquisition of this infection.
Benidorm is a coastal town located on the Costa Blanca, in the province of Alicante, Valencian community, Spain. Costa Blanca refers to the over 200 kilometers of Mediterranean coastline in the province of Alicante, Spain (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Costa_Blanca). Calpe is a coastal town in Alicante province, 67 km north of the city of Alicante (http://wikitravel.org/en/Calpe#b). The province of Alicante is located in the southern part of the Valencian Community, one of 17 autonomous communities in Spain.
The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Spain can be accessed at http://healthmap.org/r/14-l. - Mod.ML]
[Photo of AR Diamante Beach Hotel:
<http://www.tripadvisor.com.my/LocationPhotos-g187526-d622653-AR_Diamante_Beach_SPA_Hotel_Convention_Centre-Calpe_Costa_Blanca_Alicante_Province_Valencian_Country.html.
- Mod.JW]
See Also
Legionellosis - Spain: (AN) hotel 20120122.10180772011
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Legionellosis - Spain: (VC) 20110727.2258
2010
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Legionellosis - Spain (05): Madrid 20101115.4142
Legionellosis - Spain (04): (VC) car wash 20101025.3868
Legionellosis - Spain (03): Barcelona, Pontiac fever 20100718.2405
Legionellosis - Spain (02): (AN) 20100708.2279
Legionellosis - Spain: (AN) 20100612.1973
Legionellosis, nosocomial - USA: (WI) 20100315.0834
Legionellosis, fatal - Germany: (BY, BW) 20100129.0314
Legionellosis - France: (AM) 20100115.0185
2006
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Legionellosis - Spain (Pamplona) (03) 20060609.1611
Legionellosis - Spain (Pamplona) (02) 20060605.1565
Legionellosis - Spain (Pamplona) 20060604.1558
2005
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Legionellosis - Spain (Barcelona) 20051103.3210
Legionellosis, nosocomial - Spain (Barcelona) 20050302.0646
2004
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Legionellosis - Spain (Barcelona) (02) 20040820.2305
Legionellosis - Spain (Barcelona) 20040816.2271
Legionellosis, hospital - Spain (Zaragoza) (02) 20040630.1743
Legionellosis, hospital - Spain (Zaragoza) 20040621.1651
2003
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Legionellosis - Spain (Valencia) 20030611.1439
Legionellosis, spa outbreak - Spain (Canary Islands) (02) 20030603.1352
Legionellosis, spa outbreak - Spain (Canary Islands) 20030530.1320
2002
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Legionellosis update: 2002 (03) 20020828.5173
Legionellosis - Spain (Barcelona, Valencia) 20020812.5029
2001
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Legionellosis - Spain (Murcia) (08) 20011017.2555
Legionellosis - Spain (Pamplona) (02) 20010822.1979
Legionellosis - Spain (Pamplona) 20010815.1929
Legionellosis - Spain (Murcia) 20010710.1331
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