LEGIONELLOSIS - NORWAY
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Date: Thu, 30 Aug 2001 14:10:29 GMT-3
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: Eurosurveillance Weekly, issue 35, 30 Aug 2001 [edited]
<http://www.eurosurv.org/update/>
Outbreak of legionellosis in Stavanger, Norway
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The first ever outbreak of legionellosis reported in Norway has been detected in the city of Stavanger, which is on the west coast and has a population of 100 000. As of 29 Aug 2001, 14 cases had been reported, with the first case on 26 Jul 2001. All cases have had a clinical presentation compatible with legionellosis. A total of 13 cases have been confirmed by legionella antigen test in urine [and/or? Mod.SH] by culture of respiratory secretions (11 men and 3 women, aged 20-94 years). One confirmed and one suspected case have died.
Nine of the patients are residents of Stavanger but live far apart. The others have visited Stavanger since mid-July. The local health authorities are investigating the outbreak in collaboration with Statens institutt for folkehelse (National Institute of Public Health, NIPH) in Oslo.
Stavanger is the land base for the offshore oil industry in Norway and also receives large numbers of tourists in the summer. NIPH would like to receive immediate reports of cases who have visited Stavanger this summer.
[Byline: Preben Aavitsland (<preben.aavitsland@folkehelsa.no>), Statens institutt for folkehelse, Oslo, Norway]
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ProMED-mail
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[I searched both the GIDEON and PubMed databases, and this does indeed appear to be the first reported outbreak of legionellosis for Norway. Prior cases reported have acquired infections while Norwegians were travelling abroad. - Mod.ES]
Date: Thu, 6 Sep 2001 01:26:29 -0400 (EDT)
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promed.isid.harvard.edu>
Subject: PRO/EDR> Legionellosis - Norway (02)
LEGIONELLOSIS - NORWAY (02)
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A ProMED-mail post
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[see also:
Legionellosis - Norway 20010831.2076]
Date: 5 Sep 2001 10:19:43 -0400
From: Marianne Hopp <mhopp@iri.columbia.edu>
Source: WHO Disease Outbreaks, 5 Sep 2001 [edited]
<http://www.who.int/disease-outbreak-news/n2001/september/5asept2001.html>
As of 4 Sep 2001 the National Institute of Public Health (NIPH) Oslo, Norway has reported a total of 19 cases (17 confirmed by urinary antigen detection and 2 probable cases) including 2 deaths in Stavanger on the west coast of Norway.
The first patient presented with symptoms on 26 Jul 2001, while the latest case presented with symptoms on 1 Sep 2001. All the patients had visited a limited area of the center of Stavanger within 10 days of the onset of symptoms.
Local health authorities in collaboration with NIPH have identified several possible sources of legionellosis within this area, including a water fountain situated in a park and several cooling towers. Results from samples taken from these possible sources are pending. The fountain in question has been closed down and all cooling towers in the vicinity have been disinfected.
WHO encourages those who have information regarding possible cases in persons who may have been in Stavanger during this period to contact directly one of the following:
Preben Aavitsland <preben.aavitsland@folkehelsa.no>
National Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
Hans Blystad <hans.blystad@folkehelsa.no>
National Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway