Michigan: Family hospitalized with unidentified respiratory illness after family reuinion - one case confirmed Legionella

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http://www.wnem.com/story/18845795/family-becomes-seriously-ill-after-northern-mich-trip

Family seriously ill with mystery sickness after reunion trip

SAGINAW COUNTY, MI (WNEM) - We're following developing news on a reported illness that has sent several local people to a hospital after being together for an up north for a family reunion.

WNEM TV5 has learned a group of about 27 people traveled to a lodge at Boyne City, in Charlevoix County last week, and since returning home from the trip, five of them have become seriously ill.

"I got a phone call from another family member [who] said, 'you need to get up here, and you need to get up here now, she's not doing well at all and you need to plan that there's a chance she could pass away," said Albert Marr.

Family members told TV5 at least three of those people were flown from St. Mary's hospital in Saginaw to the University of Michigan Medical Center Wednesday night. A spokesperson at the Ann Arbor hospital told TV5 that two people are currently in serious condition.

Contrary to what the hospital said, when TV5 spoke with family members, they say two of the five people are in critical condition, suffering from what doctors are describing as respiratory problems. Family members tell TV5 the sickness resembles pneumonia. "Tests are coming back inconclusive, but they [doctors] are telling us they are suspecting Legionnaire's disease," said a family member to TV5 reporter Brian Wood. That is contrary to two tests done at St. Mary's, which came back negative for the disease.

Two family members remain at St. Mary's in stable conditions. One person could be released on Friday.

Family members tell TV5 they are worried that since the incubation period could be as long as 14 days, other family members could soon begin showing symptoms and become sick. That worry is playing out as around 3 p.m. Thursday, another family member is beginning to come down with symptoms of the mysterious illness.

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Re: Michigan: Family hospitalized with unidentified respiratory illness after family reuinion - possible Legionella?

Someone has posted in the comments section as follows, indicating evidence of an investigation at the source:

Black Bear Lodge on Timber Ridge Road in Boyne City, MI. The lodge is now closed down and being investigated for any water supply that is infected with bacteria.

[Laidback Al]

Re: Michigan: Family hospitalized with unidentified respiratory illness after family reuinion - possible Legionella?

Someone has posted in the comments section as follows, indicating evidence of an investigation at the source:

Black Bear Lodge on Timber Ridge Road in Boyne City, MI. The lodge is now closed down and being investigated for any water supply that is infected with bacteria.

An internet search shows there is no Black Bear Lodge in Boyne City nor is there a Timber Ridge Road in the town. There is a vacation rental lodge called Timber Ridge Lodge on 2201 Timber Ridge Trail in Boyne City, MI. It is a seven bedroom rental that sleeps 24, the approximate group size of this family reunion. This is likely where the individuals contracted the illness.

Rental Link: http://www.findyourvacationhome.com/...operty=5051680

[Emily]

Re: Michigan: Family hospitalized with unidentified respiratory illness after family reuinion - possible Legionella?

In the video the family spokesman says that all the family members have been tested twice for Legionnaires disease and all tests have come back negative for that so far.

[JimO]

Re: Michigan: Family hospitalized with unidentified respiratory illness after family reuinion - possible Legionella?

Any indication that they have tested for flu?

Another possibility would be toxic mold.

In the video the family spokesman says that all the family members have been tested twice for Legionnaires disease and all tests have come back negative for that so far.

[Emily]

Re: Michigan: Family hospitalized with unidentified respiratory illness after family reuinion

There's no mention of testing for flu in the video, JimO. There's a newer article with a statement from the University of Michigan Medical Center. That article says that Legionaries disease has been ruled out, so toxic mold might be something they are considering.

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/indoorenv/mold.html#5

[alert]

Re: Michigan: Family hospitalized with unidentified respiratory illness after family reuinion

New video at link:

http://www.wnem.com/video?clipId=7428914&autostart=true

CDC is now reportedly involved in the investigation, according to the video.

Two things to look for in upcoming articles: Can we determine whether this is contagious or not? And do we have any idea what the patients are being treated with and whether they are responding (which might give us a clue as to whether this is bacterial, viral, or fungal)? At this point, neither of those questions seems clear.

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Re: Michigan: Family hospitalized with unidentified respiratory illness after family reuinion

http://www.wnem.com/story/18875612/member-of-sick-family-diagnosed-with-legionaires-disease

Member of sick family diagnosed with Legionnaire's disease
Posted: Jun 25, 2012 5:03 PM EDT
Updated: Jun 25, 2012 5:09 PM EDT
By Tom Plahutnik, Web Editor/Producer - email
SAGINAW, MI (WNEM) - At least one person who is sick after catching a mysterious illness has been diagnosed with Legionnaire's disease.

A handful of people from a local family are in the hospital battling the illness.

At this time it's unclear how many of them have Legionnaire's disease.

The family believes they got sick after spending a week at a reunion up north.

Two of them are on life support at the University of Michigan hospital in Ann Arbor.

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Re: Michigan: Family hospitalized with unidentified respiratory illness after family reuinion - one case confirmed Legionella

There was a ProMED post from 2005, the pre-FT days:

http://www.promedmail.org/direct.php?id=20051006.2917

http://www.promedmail.org/direct.php?id=20051005.2908

[snip]

Regarding the outbreak of respiratory illness at a facility for senior citizens in Ontario, legionellosis appears to have been discounted on the basis of negative urinary antigen tests. Most such tests are designed to detect only _Legionella pneumophila_ serogroup 1. Additional procedures, such as culture and serology, should be performed in order to rule out other strains of Legionella. -- Steve Berger Geographic Medicine Tel Aviv Medical Center <mberger@post.tau.ac.il> [We look forward to further information when available. - Mod.MPP]

[snip]

http://www.promedmail.org/direct.php?id=20051003.2889

that I remember reading about an outbreak in a nursing home in Canada in which 9 residents and a previously healthy staff member died of an undiagnosed respiratory illness, for which Legionella was suspected, but tests came back negative. There was some suspicion of H5N1 or SARS, but further testing indicated the outbreak was indeed due to Legionella.

Apparently, the most common Legionella urine test only detects Type 1 of the bacteria, the most common variety, and that outbreak was due to a different type. Perhaps that situation has repeated itself here?

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Re: Michigan: Family hospitalized with unidentified respiratory illness after family reuinion - one case confirmed Legionella

The article has been updated:

http://www.wnem.com/story/18875612/member-of-sick-family-diagnosed-with-legionaires-disease

Member of sick family diagnosed with Legionnaire's disease
Posted: Jun 25, 2012 5:03 PM EDT
Updated: Jun 25, 2012 6:22 PM EDT
By Tom Plahutnik, Web Editor/Producer - email

SAGINAW, MI (WNEM) - WNEM TV5 has new information about a family who contracted a mystery illness after a family reunion trip up north.

Tonight officials have confirmed at least one person has a case of Legionnaires disease.

Twenty-seven family members went to a private resort in Boyne City, but when they came back last week, four had to be hospitalized, and 10 others have become sick or are taking antibiotics.

Two of them are on life support at the University of Michigan hospital in Ann Arbor.

One family member is so sick, she remains on a respirator and was diagnosed with Legionnaires.

The Saginaw County Health Department worked over the weekend to interview family members in an attempt to piece together any common threads, things like where they ate, where they slept, to figure out exactly where they may have been exposed to the disease.

While family members got together Monday to look at pictures of their trip, they say the most common thread is the lodge itself. TV5 called the lodge several times, but were told no one of authority could talk to us. TV5 has chosen not to identify the lodge until further investigation by authorities is completed.

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[Emily]

Re: Michigan: Family hospitalized with unidentified respiratory illness after family reuinion - one case confirmed Legionella

Thanks for the background on false negatives being possible for Legionnaires, Alert. Legionnaires seems an insidious disease because either people don't notice a smell associated with exposure to the source, or it can be a low level musty-like odor from some reports I've read.

[alert]

Re: Michigan: Family hospitalized with unidentified respiratory illness after family reuinion - one case confirmed Legionella

From the comments on:

http://www.wnem.com/story/18845795/family-becomes-seriously-ill-after-northern-mich-trip

Nathan
2 hours ago

The illness resembles having the flu except it does not go away after two days. The disease continues to get worse and it can kill you if not dealt with. My sister just thought she was sick. She was rushed to the hospital after she fell and could not breathe.

Nathan
2 hours ago

You are right. I am one of the family members that stayed at the lodge, In fact, I was one of them that was in the hospital. The Lodge is located on a private road known as TimberRidge Trail. It is across from Young State Park and can be see at the top of the hill. It has a bright green roof. My sister Kelly is still on life support in very critical condition.

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And from the comments on:

http://www.wnem.com/story/18875612/member-of-sick-family-diagnosed-with-legionaires-disease

Nathan
3 hours ago

I was one of the sickest members of my family. Legionare's Disease is only contracted by breathing in water vapors that carry the bacterium. Once it is in your lungs it will not leave to infect others, unfortunately it can kill as many as one in three people. It grows just like any other infection. The faster you can discover the infection, the better chance you have of a full recovery. Nathan

3 hours ago

You asked why does tv5 not tell you where the lodge is? It is becausethey do not want to get sued by the lodge. No positive connection between the lodge and the illness has been found yet. I will tell you we went to Boyne City. There was a sign on the lodge that said Black Bear Lodge, but I do not think that was the real name of the place. Nathan

3 hours ago

Hi, I am one of the family members that was hospitalized. All four of us were actually transferred to University of Michigan hospital.My sister and her boyfriend were flown out just before TV5 aired the first story and my sister-in-law and myself were taken by ambulance just after they aired the first story. My sister Kelly is the one that is the worst.She is on a special machine that makes her breath very fast, but shallow. She is in an induced coma at this time. Her boyfriend is doing fine and should be released soon. I was released Sunday afternoon.