Legionnaires Disease

Donated lungs were the likely source of two cases of Legionnaires’ disease reported in transplant recipients at a Philadelphia hospital, investigators said.

Using published estimates of medical costs and new calculations of productivity losses, researchers estimated the economic burden of Legionnaires’ disease cases in just 1 year in the United States was more than $800 million.

Researchers estimated that the United States experiences around 7 million waterborne illnesses each year, according to findings published in Emerging Infectious Diseases.

The Sheraton Atlanta Hotel evacuated guests on July 15 due to an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease that killed one person and may have infected dozens of others. The hotel has voluntarily remained closed until the source of the outbreak is located, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health.