Hospital adds more cases to legionella list

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Minister for Health Cameron Dick. Picture: Adam Head

 

THE Brisbane hospital at the centre of the latest legionella outbreak has revealed the deadly bacteria was found on-site three times in 2013.

The Mater Private Hospital revealed on Sunday that tests on a patient suffering ‘respiratory symptoms’ had returned a positive finding for legionella.

In response to questions put by The Courier Mail, the Mater yesterday said there had been three positive results for the legionella pneumophila bacteria in their water system in June 2013.

A hospital spokeswoman said they were currently working “with the possible scenario of having legionella in our water system” while they try to determine if the current patient acquired the bacteria in the hospital.

No equipment, including ice machines, or water at the hospital has tested positive for legionella.

The hospital reported the patient’s positive test to health authorities “within minutes” of its discovery and publicly disclosed it the following day.

The spokeswoman said the positive tests in June 2013 were also reported to Queensland Health.

“Appropriate rectification measures were undertaken at the time, with negative follow up testing confirmed. None of these positive test results involved patients,” the spokeswoman said.

The hospital is currently carrying out a “proactive program of disinfection” that “would be appropriate for the situation in which the water had tested positive for this organism, which to date it has not”.

Health Minister Cameron Dick has been in contact with Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young, who is working closely with the Mater Hospital in relation to the legionella outbreak.

“This happens at hospitals. It can infect individuals in the community. We need to ensure hospitals are operating safely and can be as safe as possible,” Mr Dick said.

Australian Medical Association Queensland President Dr Chris Zappala said it was impossible to “eradicate” legionella.

“It’s in soil and water and all around the place, you can’t get rid of it everywhere.”

“The issue is that there is a preventable component to it if we can keep on top of the control of the water sources.”

He said hospitals needed to carry out stringent testing.

“I would be more suspect (of a hospital) which did testing for two years and said they didn’t find anything.”

It comes after a patient at the Wesley hospital tested positive for the disease on December 31, along with an ice machine on the fourth floor.

In 2013 a cancer patient at the Wesley died from a lung infection and a second patient ended up in intensive care after contracting the disease.

Queensland Health is prevented by legislation from disclosing information about results from private institutions like the Wesley and Mater.

That legislation was put under review in the wake of the latest Wesley scandal.