LEGIONELLOSIS - AUSTRALIA: BACKGROUND
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[see also:
Legionellosis, hospital - Australia (Melbourne) 20001222.2255
Legionellosis - Australia (Melbourne) 20000328.0451
Legionellosis - Australia (Melbourne) (09) 20000525.0833

1999
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Legionellosis - Australia 19990801.1309
Legionellosis - Australia (Victoria) 19990801.1310

1998
- ------
Legionellosis - Australia (Melbourne) 19981031.2131
Legionellosis - Australia (Melbourne) (04) 19981224.2437
Legionellosis - Australia (Victoria) 19980714.1325
Legionellosis - Australia (Victoria) (03) 19980722.1388]

Date: 26 Dec 2000
From: Stephen A. Berger, M.D. <mberger@post.tau.ac.il>
Source: GIDEON <http://www.cyinfo.com>


_Legionella pneumophila_ infection peaks in summer and autumn - _L.
longbeachae_ in spring. _L. longbeachae_ accounts for approximately 22% of
isolates nationwide, and is the predominant species in Western Australia
(apparently associated with potting soils in South Australia).

The male/female ratio is 2.0/1 and 71% of patients are above age 49 (1996).

Year / Cases reported / Comments
1990 / 90 /
1991 / 110 /
1992 / 185 /
1993 / 178 /
1994 / 179 / 1.0 per 100 000; 62 from New South Wales
1995 / 160 / 77 from New South Wales
1996 / 192 / 67 from New South Wales, 39 from Victoria, 39 from Western
Australia
1997 / 161 /
1998 / 271 / 1.4 per 100 000; 139 _L. longbeachae_
1999 / 250 /

- - 58 cases (7 fatal) were reported in Victoria in 1998. Of these, a
cluster of 18 cases was linked to a contaminated cooling tower in a
northern Melbourne suburb.
- - 2 cases were reported in 1998 among travelers returning from Bali.
- - An outbreak (101 confirmed cases; 2 fatal) was traced to a water
cooling
tower at the Melbourne Aquarium during 2000.