Two Community Clusters of Legionnaires' Disease Directly Linked to a Biologic Wastewater Treatment Plant, the Netherlands

Emerg Infect Dis. 2018 Oct;24(10):1914-1918. doi: 10.3201/eid2410.180906.

Abstract

A biologic wastewater treatment plant was identified as a common source for 2 consecutive Legionnaires' disease clusters in the Netherlands in 2016 and 2017. Sequence typing and transmission modeling indicated direct and long-distance transmission of Legionella, indicating this source type should also be investigated in sporadic Legionnaires' disease cases.

Keywords: Legionella pneumophila; Legionnaires’ disease; Netherlands; bacteria; disease outbreaks; environmental exposure; waterborne diseases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Comorbidity
  • Disease Outbreaks
  • Female
  • Geography, Medical
  • Hospitalization
  • Humans
  • Legionnaires' Disease / epidemiology*
  • Legionnaires' Disease / transmission
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Netherlands / epidemiology
  • Public Health Surveillance
  • Seasons
  • Waste Management*
  • Wastewater / microbiology*
  • Water Microbiology*

Substances

  • Waste Water