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Abstract
Regan,
C. M.; McCann, B.; Syed, Q.; Christie, P.;
Joseph,
C.; Colligan, J.; and McGaffin, A. "Outbreak of
Legionnaires' disease on a cruise ship: lessons for international
surveillance and control," Communicable
Disease and Public Health, 2003, 6:2, 152-156
A
sporadic case of Legionnaires' disease was linked to travel on a cruise
ship.
The ship commenced the cruise in the spring of 1998, going south to the
Western
Mediterranean and the Canary
Islands and north to the
Norwegian fjords.
Investigation identified two further cases of Legionnaires' Disease and
one
case of non-pneumonic Legionella infection. An Incident Team confirmed
the source to be the ship's water system and control measures were
instituted
that included pasteurization, super chlorination and chlorine dioxide
dosing.
The Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) Communicable Disease
Surveillance
Centre (CDSC), through the European Surveillance Scheme for Travel
Associated
Legionnaires' Disease, identified three previous
cases associated with the same ship's water
system including one fatality. Lessons for the international
surveillance and
control of Legionnaires' disease on cruise ships are discussed.
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