Argentina's cluster of pneumonia has legionella as its cause

Sep, 2022 - By WMR

According to the Pan American Health Organization, legionella, the bacterium that causes Legionnaires' disease, was the source of a cluster of pneumonia cases in Argentina and Tucumán.

According to the group, as of Saturday, a total of 11 instances of pneumonia, including four fatalities in patients with underlying medical issues, have been linked to the epidemic at the San Miguel de Tucumán clinic. The Argentine Ministry of Health notified the group on Saturday that legionella was the cause, and the organisation noted that officials are currently looking into the source.

According to the report, the ministry is "gathering environmental samples, carrying out risk analyses, and putting measures in place in the healthcare clinic relevant to the epidemic." "PAHO is assisting Argentinian health authorities with their investigation and characterization of the epidemic from its Headquarters and the PAHO Country Office in Argentina."

A dangerous form of pneumonia known as legionnaires' disease is brought on by the legionella bacterium. When people breathe in tiny droplets of water containing the bacterium, it can make them sick and infect their lungs. Antibiotics can be used to treat the illness.

The bacteria may be found in plumbing systems in faucets, big buildings, shower heads, hot tubs, ornamental fountains cooling towers, and hot water tanks. Between August 18 and August 24, some clinic staff members began to have symptoms.

The agricultural province of Tucumán is located in northwest Argentina, and its capital is San Miguel de Tucumán. The bacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease, legionella, is the cause of a number of pneumonia cases in Argentina and Tucumán, according to the Pan American Health Organization. The organisation claims that as of Saturday, the pandemic at the San Miguel de Tucumán clinic had been related to a total of 11 cases of pneumonia, including four fatalities in patients with underlying medical conditions.