European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Outbreak of travel-associated Legionnaires’ disease – Palmanova, Mallorca (Spain), September–October 2017 – 23 October 2017. Stockholm: ECDC; 2017.
An increase in Legionnaires’ disease cases is currently being reported in EU travellers returning from Palmanova in Mallorca, Spain. Eighteen cases, one of which was fatal, have been reported, with dates of onset between 11 September 2017 and 7 October 2017.
The source of the outbreak has not yet been identified. It is suspected that this is a community outbreak.
In the absence of an identified and controlled source of Legionella, there may be an ongoing risk of exposure to Legionella bacteria for persons living in or visiting this area.
The following options for control measures should be considered in response to this outbreak:
Inform travellers − particularly those above 50 years of age, smokers and immunocompromised persons −to seek medical advice if they experience respiratory symptoms up to two weeks after travelling to Palmanova, Mallorca.
Symptomatic travellers should also mention their history of travel to an area with an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease.
Visitors who stayed in the affected area in Palmanova from 10 October and onwards should be informed about the risk of developing Legionnaires’ disease and seek medical advice if developing symptoms of pneumonia.
Remind clinicians to consider Legionnaires’ disease in patients presenting with community-acquired pneumonia who have a history of having travelled to the affected area in the two weeks prior to disease onset.
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