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Article: A large outbreak of legionnaires' disease at a Flower Show, the Netherlands, 1999. (Research).(Statistical Data Included)
- Article from:
- Emerging Infectious Diseases
- Article date:
- January 1, 2002
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 U.S. National Center for Infectious Diseases. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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In 1999, an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease affected many visitors to a flower show in the Netherlands. To identify the source of the outbreak, we performed an environmental investigation, as well as a case-control study among visitors and a serologic cohort study among exhibitors to measure exposure to possible sources. Of 77,061 visitors, 188 became ill (133 confirmed and 55 probable cases), for an attack rate of 0.23% for visitors and 0.61% for exhibitors. Two whirlpool spas in halls 3 and 4 of the exhibition and a sprinkler in hall 8 were culture positive for Legionella pneumophila. One of three genotypes found in both whirlpool spas was identical to the isolates ...
<0.001). Since no other environmental risk factor was identified, the outbreak investigation focused on the flower show. This show is an annual event that includes an agricultural and consumer products exhibition, located in the nearby town of Bovenkarspel. Held from February 19 to 28, the flower show attracted 77,061 visitors. After a nationwide warning was issued to ensure detection and appropriate treatment of any additional cases, it became clear that>