Humidifier-associated paediatric Legionnaires' disease, Israel, February 2012.
We report a fatal case of community-acquired Legionnaires' disease in an infant aged under six months. Epidemiological and microbiological investigations suggested that a free-standing cold water humidifier using domestic tap water contaminated with Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 served as a vehicle for infection. These findings were corroborated by sequence-based typing (SBT). Humidifier-associated Legionnaires' disease can be prevented by appropriate control measures. This case also illustrates the emerging role of SBT in the investigation of legionellosis.
Division of Epidemiology, Public Health Services, Ministry of Health, Jerusalem, Israel. giladko@014.net.il
J
J
Moran-Gilad
T
T
Lazarovitch
M
M
Mentasti
T
T
Harrison
M
M
Weinberger
Y
Y
Mordish
Z
Z
Mor
T
T
Stocki
E
E
Anis
C
C
Sadik
Z
Z
Amitai
I
I
Grotto
D003080:Cold Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D004867:Equipment Design / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D007223:Infant; D007557:Israel; D016952:Legionella pneumophila / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007877:Legionnaires' Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology; D058889:Molecular Typing; D010372:Pediatrics; D014871:Water Microbiology