Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2001 23:34:13 -0400 (EDT)

From: ProMED-mail <promed@promed.isid.harvard.edu>

Subject: PRO> Legionellosis - Spain (Murcia) (08)

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.