Italy: 878 pneumonia cases in Brescia province, legionella bacterium in the cooling towers

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Legionella pneumonia: new case recorded in the Brescia area

There is a new case of legionella pneumonia recorded in recent hours in the Brescia area. The epidemic, which has been affecting the provinces of Brescia and Mantova for over a month now, has struck again. In fact, in the past few hours - as reported by various sources - a man was admitted to the Ospedale Civile di Brescia because infected by the bacterium, which is attributed only ten percent of the total cases. The patient's condition does not seem to be serious as it is not in danger of life, but it has already been ascertained that this case is part of the number of the infected. The alert remains high.

http://www.bsnews.it/2018/10/10/polmonite-legionella-nuovo-caso-bresciano/?refresh_ce

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Pneumonia: in the Brescia area an average of 16 cases a day
Seven hundred and fifty cases diagnosed, an average of 16 per day between August 25 and October 10 last. The report of the Higher Institute of Health certifies that the epidemic of bacterial pneumonia registered in the Lower East is an "unprecedented phenomenon at national and probably continental" level. It is not so much the absolute number of infections that make the infectious wave anomalous, as the ratio between the average of expected and recorded cases, the limited size of the outbreak, the aggressiveness of the bacterium that has overlapped with that of legionella. In the "red" zone, the most affected area, which includes Carpenedolo, Montichiari, Calvisano, Visano, Remedello, Isorella and Acquafredda, in September the bacterial pneumonia was 200% higher than expected. During the peak the average of 24 infections per day was exceeded. No deviations from expectations, however, for Legionella, which also resulted in at least two confirmed deaths: the 56 cases diagnosed are in line with those expected by epidemiologists.


Per approfondire http://www.meteoweb.eu/2018/10/polmo...U36IoO3pwfg.99

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A 56-year-old died, suspected legionella

The epidemic of bacterial pneumonia continues to reap its victims. On 15 October a 56-year-old died at the Brescia Civil Hospital and was hospitalized following a pulmonary infection. An autopsy was arranged to ascertain the causes

http://gazzettadimantova.gelocal.it/mantova/cronaca/2018/10/17/news/morto-un-56enne-sospetta-legionella-1.17362936

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Pneumonia: ?Epidemic run out ?. However, the analysis do not stop


The epidemic has run out. And the cases of pneumonia that are now found in the emergency room or in the studies of general practitioners are part of an epidemiological picture of normality. There is no doubt that the director general of ATC of Brescia, Carmelo Scarcella, reassures the population of the Municipalities of the Bassa. What is certain is that we are approaching the flu season and that pneumonia is one of the complications that can arise, especially in elderly patients or those suffering from chronic diseases. In the meantime, the investigation of the causes of the epidemic continues, which have not yet been fully ascertained. The Higher Institute of Health is responsible for this case. It has received both the environmental samples collected by Ats and those of patients tested positive for Legionella. A complex investigation therefore that will still require weeks of work.

https://www.giornaledibrescia.it/bas...lisi-1.3310027

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Epidemic of pneumonia, the anger of the sick: united to claim compensation

The epidemic of pneumonia has stopped, but on the legionella front a new chapter could now open. That of compensation. Already fifteen people have turned to the lawyer Donatella Mento, asking them to represent them in civil. Waiting for the truth to emerge on the epidemiological front, there are those who make claims for compensation. This is, for example, a 29-year-old who was among the first to fall ill: pneumonia created serious problems with mobility, so today the young man - forced to a complex rehabilitation, still underway - would like to get compensation.


Yes, but to whom would the claim for compensation be debited? To the Health Protection Agency? Or to companies whose cooling towers were positive for legionella contamination? A very complex issue, given that at the epidemiological level it is not yet established who is at the origin of the infection. If the hypothesis of the companies, which had to sanitize their towers, was confirmed, it remains to be seen whether the companies will be considered responsible for the bacterial transmission or "victims" of the whole affair, as claimed by some entrepreneurs."Before advancing any hypothesis - explains the lawyer Mento - we must have all the material in hand, including the medical records that I am collecting. We are at an early stage. But we also await the results of the analyzes that will emerge from the studies of Ats and the Higher Institute of Health ?


It is clear that not all patients have had the same outcomes: some have had to deal with aggressive bronchopneumonia, those who have sustained long-term or permanent physical injuries. And then there are almost ten deaths from pneumonia: one case is established, it is legionella; three were negative for the bacterium; then the publication of the results of the autopsy of two deceased is awaited. In all, we speak of 878 people who have had to deal with pneumonia from early September until October 18 this year. A phenomenon repeatedly described as exceptional, but that threatens to leave people with a bitter taste: little news and the gattopardiana impression that now nothing will change.

https://brescia.corriere.it/notizie/cronaca/18_novembre_02/epidemia-polmonite-rabbia-malati-uniti-chiedere-risarcimento-8383c8b4-de8a-11e8-b2ec-2281f86eb2f8.shtml?refresh_ce-cp

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„The epidemic that continues to scare: more than 900 cases and already 10 deaths“


„The emergency seems outdated, but the alert remains high: this confirms the death of the 51-year-old Provaglio d'Iseo, who died on Sunday at the Civile probably due to legionella, on which the prosecution has already opened an investigation ( parallel to the investigations of a culpable epidemic that have been going on for a few weeks now).

„Alert high, and dutiful, also because of the numbers of the epidemic of pneumonia that has plagued the Lower Brescia, and not only: there are 868 confirmed cases, people who have turned to the emergency room. Of these, over 75% are those who were actually admitted to hospital, in all 654 patients. But there would also be another fifty list of subjects who took care of themselves at home, anyway reached by Ats. Out of the total number of patients suffering from bacterial pneumonia, less than 10% are those with a positive legionella

„A total of 54 cases: among the most affected countries, certainly Montichiari (with 8 cases of legionella), then Carpenedolo and Remedello (4 cases), Acquafredda (3 cases) and then with only one case Calvisano, Isorella and Visano. But it is Calvisano that for now there has been the only confirmed death due to legionella: the death of 69 year-old Guglielmina Castelletti, who lived in Mezzane.

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„Then there are eight more deaths, nine considering also the 51-year-old woman from Provaglio d'Iseo: three residents in Carpenedolo, two in Remedello and two others in Calvisano, one in Ro? Volciano. Just as a result of the violence of the epidemic in the Bassa was born a Committee of citizens (based in Montichiari, and captained by Carmine Piccolo) that has already announced battle: the next step is the implementation of a real class-action , to get compensation.“


https://www.bresciatoday.it/cronaca/...ella-dati.html

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Legionella pneumonia: ?Two years for answers?


'To date we do not have sufficient elements to create a correlation between what happened in the environment for the cooling towers of companies and the spread of legionella in humans'. This was stated by the director of AST of Brescia Carmelo Scarcella talking about the epidemic that caused 880 cases of pneumonia between late August and early September, of which 70 per legionella, in the Lower Brescia and the Mantovano. Not even the Istituto Superiore di Sanit? was able to give definite answers on the causes of what happened. ?It will take two years of analysis to have perhaps a definitive answer? added Scarcella. In the meantime, the investigation by the Complaints Agency for culpable epidemics remains open without any suspects.

https://www.giornaledibrescia.it/bassa/polmoniti-da-legionella-due-anni-per-le-risposte-1.3323280