Link to Orlando hotel suspected in two cases of Legionnaire's Disease

By Lisa Greene, Times Staff Writer
In print: Saturday, March 15, 2008

Story Tools E-mail this story Contact the editor Print this story Comment on this story Social Bookmarking [+] Digg Facebook Stumbleupon Reddit Del.icio.us Newsvine

ADVERTISEMENT

ST. PETERSBURG — Two tourists became ill in Pinellas County with Legionnaire's Disease after staying in an Orlando hotel, health officials said Friday.

Health officials are investigating a Quality Inn off International Drive as the possible source of the disease, a potentially fatal type of pneumonia. The two people stayed in the hotel within the past few weeks before traveling on to Pinellas, said Dain Weister, spokesman for the Orange County Health Department.

Both people live outside Florida, but health officials would not release their names or relationship to each other. It was not clear whether the two were traveling together or were strangers.

Both remained hospitalized in an unidentified Pinellas hospital Friday, said Jeannine Mallory, spokeswoman for the Pinellas County Health Department.

Health officials have shut down the hotel and tested the pool, spa, showers, air conditioning units and other areas for the bacteria that causes Legionnaire's, which grows best in warm water.

People can get Legionnaire's from breathing in mist or vapor containing the bacteria. It's not spread from person to person.

Across Florida last year, 155 people got Legionnaire's, all in individual cases. Symptoms of the disease include high fever, chills and a cough.