Legionnaires disease in residents of England and Wales: 2007

Synopsis

Cases of Legionnaires' disease, a bacterial infection characterised by pneumonia, have been reported to the National Surveillance Scheme for Legionnaires' disease in residents of England and Wales since its establishment at the PHLS Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre (CDSC) in 1979. In 2003 the scheme was transferred to the Health Protection Agency, Centre for Infections (HPA, CfI) from where it is now administered. From 1980 to 1999 between 111 and 280 cases were reported each year. There has since been a notable rise in case numbers, reaching a high of 551 cases in 2006. Between 1980 and 2007 a total of 6391 cases have been reported to the surveillance scheme. Forty-eight percent of these cases originate from within the community, 41% are associated with travel abroad, 6% travelled within the UK and the remaining 5% are considered hospital acquired. This paper describes the epidemiology of cases with onset of symptoms in 2007.

Last reviewed: 5 March 2012