1949 outbreak of Pontiac fever-like illness in steam condenser cleaners. [Legionella pneumophila]

Journal Article · · Arch. Environ. Health; (United States)

OSTI ID:5352764

Armstrong, C W; Miller, Jr, G B

A 1949 outbreak of flu-like illness in steam-turbine condenser cleaners was investigated in 1979. Clinical and epidemiologic features matched those in previously described outbreaks of nonpneumonic legionellosis (Pontiac fever). Titers by indirect immunofluorescence using polyvalent Legionella pneumophila antigen were significantly higher for late convalescent-phase serum samples from condenser workers than for control serum samples submitted to the Centers for Disease Control. The workers who had cleaned the condensers on several occasions had experienced recurrent illness associated with these operations, which might support the theory that nonpneumonic legionellosis is caused by an immune reaction to an inhaled antigen or bacterial toxin of L. pneumophila, rather than a true infection.

• Research Organization: Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, GA
• OSTI ID: 5352764
• Journal Information: Arch. Environ. Health; (United States), Journal Name: Arch. Environ. Health; (United States) Vol. 40:1; ISSN AEHLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
200100 -- Fossil-Fueled Power Plants-- Power Plants & Power Generation
560306* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANTIGENS
BACTERIA
CLEANING
CONDENSERS
DATA
DATA COMPILATION
EPIDEMIOLOGY
ETIOLOGY
FEVER
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
IMMUNE REACTIONS
INFORMATION
INHALATION
INTAKE
LEGIONELLA PNEUMOPHILA
MACHINERY
MATERIALS
MICROORGANISMS
NUMERICAL DATA
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
POWER PLANTS
STEAM CONDENSERS
STEAM TURBINES
SYMPTOMS
TOXIC MATERIALS
TOXINS
TURBINES
TURBOMACHINERY
VAPOR CONDENSERS