1999 Bovenkarspel legionellosis outbreak

Coordinates: 52°42′08″N 5°15′04″E / 52.70223°N 5.25101°E

Legionella pneumophila bacterium

The Bovenkarspel legionellosis outbreak (Dutch: Legionellaramp; Legionella disaster) began on 25 February 1999 in Bovenkarspel, the Netherlands, and was one of the largest outbreaks of legionellosis in history.[1] With at least 32 dead and 206 severe infections it was the deadliest legionellosis outbreak since the original 1976 outbreak in Philadelphia, USA.

Between 19 and 28 February 1999, the Westfriese Flora took place in Bovenkarspel, one of the largest indoor flower exhibitions in the world (now the Holland Flowers Festival). In hall #3, several hot tubs were displayed, one of which was filled with water using a long disused fire-hose, and heated to 37 degrees Celsius. In the stagnant water inside the hose a very aggressive type of legionella pneumophila bacterium had developed. The vendor did not add chlorine to the tubs, as no-one would be permitted in them.

From 7 March, 13 patients were admitted to the Westfries Gasthuis in Hoorn. Unable to diagnose the patients, hospital staff called the Academic Medical Center (AMC) in Amsterdam. The AMC initially diagnosed six patients with legionellosis and a link with the Westfriese Flora was soon made.

On 12 March, the Netherlands National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) issued an epidemic warning to all doctors and hospitals, alerting them to Flora visitors and people with pneumonia-like symptoms.

In the following weeks, 318 cases throughout the Netherlands were reported to the RIVM. All patients had visited the Westfriese Flora after 22 February and had become ill between 25 February and 16 March. It is known that 32 people died of the infection, one of them in 2001 after prolonged illness. A further 206 people became severely ill and many developed permanent health problems after visiting the Flora.

There is a possibility that more people died from legionellosis, but they were interred before the infection was recognized.

References

  1. ↑ (Dutch) Een van de grootste uitbraken in de geschiedenis, Gerbrand Feenstra, De Volkskrant, 18 March 1999

External links