Another Chicago hospital dealing with outbreak

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is investigating four cases of Legionnaires’ disease at Advocate Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, two of whom were patients within the past two months.

By News Services on June 29, 2019

Posted in Legionnaires' disease, Public health

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The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is investigating an outbreak of four cases of Legionnaires’ disease associated with Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, a suburb of Chicago.

The outbreak is the third at a Chicago-area hospital in three months. In May, the IDPH investigated two cases at the University of Chicago Medical Center, and in April, the department examined two illnesses at Mercy Hospital and Medical Center.

Of the four cases at Advocate Christ, three involved patients at the hospital, while an employee was the other infected. The incidents date to 2018, but two occurred within the past two months, according to the IDPH.

The IDPH is testing the hospital’s water, and hospital officials are working with the state on a water-management plan.

Patients at higher risk
A 2015 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that “75 percent of (Legionnaires’ disease) acquired in health-care settings could be prevented with better water management.”

Most people exposed to Legionella do not get sick, but people 50 years old and older – especially those who smoke or have chronic lung conditions – are at a higher risk.

Other people more susceptible to infection include:

recipients of organ transplants
individuals who are on specific drug protocols (corticosteroids, to name one)
heavy drinkers of alcoholic beverages.

This list also includes anyone with an immune system weakened by:

frequent and recurrent pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections, ear infections, meningitis or skin infections
organ inflammation and infection
blood disorders, such as low platelet counts or anemia
digestive problems, such as cramping, appetite loss, diarrhea, and nausea
delayed growth and development.

After a Legionnaires diagnosis, hospitalization is often necessary. In the most severe Legionnaires cases, complications can include respiratory failure, kidney failure, septic shock, or even death.

Feeling ill? Get tested
The IDPH recommends that patients, visitors to, or employees of Advocate Christ who are feeling pneumonia- or flu-like symptoms, should seek care from their health-care provider. Symptoms usually develop two to 10 days after exposure to Legionella bacteria and frequently begin with the following signs:

headaches
muscle pains
chills
fever, which can be 104 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.

By the second or third day, other signs and symptoms develop, including:

cough, which can bring up mucus and sometimes blood
shortness of breath
chest pain
gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
confusion and other mental changes.

The IDPH also reminds medical providers to report any Legionnaires’ disease cases to the health department.

Early diagnosis is key
Legionnaires’ disease is not contagious. The condition is treatable with antibiotics when diagnosed early enough, although if that does not occur, it can lead to severe complications.

Although Legionnaires’ disease primarily affects the lungs, it occasionally can cause infections in wounds and other parts of the body, including the heart.

A mild form of Legionnaires — known as Pontiac fever — may produce signs and symptoms, including a fever, chills, headache, and muscle aches. Pontiac fever doesn’t infect your lungs, and symptoms usually manifest within two to five days.

CDC: About 25,000 cases annually

Legionnaires’ disease is a severe type of pneumonia or lung infection. According to the CDC, an estimated 25,000 cases of pneumonia due to Legionella bacteria (Legionella pneumophila) occur in the United States every year. However, the disease’s nonspecific signs and symptoms cause the reporting of only 5,000 cases.

Inhaling microscopic water droplets in the form of mist or vapor causes the absorption of Legionella bacteria. The bacteria, which thrive in warm water, are found primarily in human-made environments, such as:

air-conditioning system cooling towers
large plumbing systems
water systems of large buildings (hospitals, nursing homes, hotels, etc.)
hot-water heaters and tanks
bathroom showers and faucets
swimming pools
whirlpools and hot tubs
physical-therapy equipment
mist machines and hand-held sprayers
decorative fountains.

Elliot OlsenShareholder

Attorney Elliot Olsen has extensive experience representing people sickened by Legionnaires’ disease. He specializes in personal-injury and wrongful-death lawsuits in the areas of food poisoning…

Attorney Elliot Olsen has extensive experience representing people sickened by Legionnaires’ disease. He specializes in personal-injury and wrongful-death lawsuits in the areas of food poisoning, medical malpractice and vehicle accidents.