Sweden, September, 9 2004 - -3 more cases of Legionnaires' disease were reported in central Sweden on Tue 7 Sep 2004, in what has become the 3rd largest outbreak of the disease in the country's history.

3 men from Lidkoeping, about 250 miles southwest of Stockholm, are being treated in the hospital after contracting the disease between 27 Aug and 2 Sep 2004, said Nils vensson, a physician at the Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control. One of the men, whose ages ranged between 35 and 80, was in serious condition, Svensson said.

12 other cases of Legionnaires' disease have been reported in Sweden since last week [1st week of September 2004], 9 in Lidkoeping and 3 in the northern town of Umeaa. 2 men infected with the disease died, but the cause was unclear, as both also had other serious illnesses.

Svensson said the bacteria were found last week [1st week of September 2004] in 2 industrial cooling towers in Lidkoeping, which have since been sanitized. It is likely that the bacteria spread through mist released from the cooling towers, he said. In Umeaa, the bacteria were found in a fruit humidifier in a grocery store.

This is the 3rd largest outbreak ever of Legionnaires' diseases in Sweden, Svensson said. The largest took place in 1979.
 
 

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