Legionnaire's disease confirmed at New York hospital

Apr 26 2005

A New York hospital has confirmed that an autopsy on one of the patients who died while being treated for suspected Legionnaire's disease did have the disease. The New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center say they are taking the matter very seriously and are implementing all necessary measures to insure the safety of patients.

Of four patients being treated for Legionnaire's disease last month two have died and initially the hospital says there was no indication that either death was connected to Legionella pneumonia. However an autopsy conducted on Tuesday "concluded that Legionella pneumonia was a primary factor" in one of the patient deaths.The second case has been referred to the medical examiner's office, which has yet to determine a cause of death.

Legionella bacteria has been identified in the water supply of its Milstein Hospital Building and in the Greenberg Pavilion at the hospital's campus on the East Side of Manhattan. Bottled water was being distributed to patients at both sites, the hospital said. Other buildings at the medical center are not affected, and no other confirmed or suspected cases have been reported.

Legionnaire's disease is a form of pneumonia caused by bacteria that occur naturally in water. It is spread through the air but not person to person. Most people exposed to it never get sick, but the elderly and people with weak immune systems can be susceptible. It is treatable with antibiotics and does not generally pose a threat to the public.

Hospital officials say several steps have been taken to protest against future cases, including hyperchlorinating the water, superheating the water system and installing a silver/copper ionization system.