Fed: Killer bacteria found in two states
MELBOURNE, April 18 AAP - Health authorities in two states are investigating possibleoutbreaks of the potentially fatal Legionnaire's disease.
In Victoria, three men who visited the same area of Melbourne's city centre last monthhave contracted Legionnaires' disease.
While in Perth, traces of the disease were found at a city hospital during a post-mortemexamination of a patient who died of pneumonia.
An infection control team at the Sir Charles Gairdner (Gairdner) Hospital are conductingmore tests for the disease.
A hospital spokeswoman said there was, as yet, no cause for concern.
The hospital's clinical microbiologist Clay Golledge told ABC radio three people werebeing tested for legionella bacteria and some equipment also had been removed from thehospital for examination.
"It (Legionnaire's disease) can be transmitted for instance in things like tap water,in water that may get into ventilated tubing, by respiratory equipment that may be sharedbetween patients etc, so even though it's not highly infectious in terms of being transferredfrom person to person, it can spread," Dr Golledge said.
In the Victorian cases, two of the men have been discharged from hospital while thethird is still undergoing treatment.
Victoria's chief health officer John Carnie said the mandatory registration of coolingtower treatment had made it easier to pinpoint the causes of Legionnaires' outbreaks.
He urged anyone with `flu-like symptoms who had worked or visited the area in the pastthree to four weeks to seek medical attention.
The illness causes headache, fever, chills, muscle aches and pains, followed by respiratoryproblems and pneumonia which develops within three or four days.
Onset can be up to 10 days after the initial contact with the bacteria.
AAP bja/clr/mjm/bwl
KEYWORD: LEGIONNAIRES DAYLEAD
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