Legionella infections in Scotland

Abstract

SummaryFour thousand two hundred and thirty-five sera from 2794 patients and 740 sera from 735 tourists domiciled in Scotland recently returned from abroad were examined between 1977 and 1981 for antibodies to Legionella pneumophila and related organisms. In addition, specimens were examined from some patients for cultural or serological demonstration of these organisms in lung or sputum. One hundred and ten cases were diagnosed, 104 serologically, five by immunofluorescence demonstration of legionellas in lung biopsy or autopsy specimens and L. pneumophila serogroup 1 was isolated from a further case. Of patients with pneumonia 6·7% showed evidence of legionella infection. Only 0·4% of healthy tourists had antibodies at a level of ⋝ 256. The majority of cases occurred in patients aged 50–69 and in 36 patients the infection was acquired outside the United Kingdom. Males predominated, the male: female ratio being 2:1. Cases were less frequent in the first quarter of the year but those originating in Scotland were equally common in the remaining three quarters. Cases with disease acquired abroad added to indigenous cases resulted in a summer peak occurring in July, August and September. There were no outbreaks of legionellosis in Scotland.

The mysterious illness that drove them to their knees - Ah, that Legionnaires’ disease – A historical reflection of the work in Legionnaires’ disease in New Zealand (1978 to mid-1990s) and the ‘One Health’ paradigm

“…An US study of 530 specimens from the human respiratory system by DFA staining yielded 63 positive specimens with legionellae but only two of these belonged to sg 6 [ 59 ]. Similarly, sera from 86 cases surveyed in Scotland from 1977–1981 by IFA techniques demonstrated only one example of seroconversion to sg 6 [ 60 ]. This confirmed the theory that different geographical areas may have different species/serogroup distributions [ 61 ].…”

Showers, Sweating and Suing: Legionnaires’ Disease and ‘New’ Infections in Britain, 1977–90

“…Glasgow continued as a hot spot for Legionnaires' disease and was in the news again in 1984 when an outbreak at Glasgow Royal Infirmary affected one surgeon and fifteen patients, of whom five died, 39 and in 1987 nearly half of the cases diagnosed in Scotland came from Greater Glasgow. 40 Reaction to one of these Glasgow outbreaks raised political questions and accusations of a cover-up. Michael Martin, Labour MP for Glasgow Springburn, called for a Public Enquiry accusing city officials of scandalously failing to disclose news of a Glasgow outbreak earlier.…”