Legionnaires’ disease found in 4 Grady patients

Grady Memorial Hospital officials are investigating a spike in Legionnaires’ disease.

Four patients who were recently hospitalized at Grady have contracted the bacterial infection in the past month, according to Grady’s Web site. In a typical year, the hospital might see two or three cases.

Infection with Legionella occurs when someone breathes a contaminated water mist, the Web notice explains. The bacteria can be present in plumbing systems.

Matt Gove, Grady senior vice president, said parts of the 11th and 12th floors — which have patient rooms — have been shut down while the hospital tests water and tries to determine if the disease is originating inside the hospital. About 80 beds out of 953 are closed for now.

He would not discuss the condition of the four patients or whether they’re still in the hospital.

“Currently, we’re taking all necessary step to identify whether the cause is inside the hospital or out in the community,” Gove said. “We’ve hired an independent lab to conduct tests, and we’ll have preliminary results on Monday.”

According to Grady’s Web advisory, the disease is not spread from one person to another.

Those most vulnerable to Legionnaires’ disease are patients with serious medical conditions such as organ transplant, chronic lung disease and HIV/AIDS.

An infection can cause death within 5 to 30 percent of cases, according to information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is treatable with antibiotics, officials say. Symptoms typically develop within 2 to 10 days after exposure and include a high fever (over 101 degrees), coughing, shortness of breath, muscle aches and diarrhea.

The hospital is asking patients who think they may be currently ill with the disease to call 404-616-0600.

The disease got its name in 1976, when attendees of an American Legion convention in Philadelphia were diagnosed with a type of pneumonia common to the bacteria.