Healthcare-Associated Legionnaires' Disease, Europe, 2008-2017

Abstract

Healthcare-associated Legionnaires' disease (HCA LD) can cause nosocomial outbreaks with high death rates. We compared community-acquired LD cases with HCA LD cases in Europe during 2008-2017 using data from The European Surveillance System. A total of 29 countries reported 40,411 community-acquired and 4,315 HCA LD cases. Of the HCA LD cases, 2,937 (68.1%) were hospital-acquired and 1,378 (31.9%) were linked to other healthcare facilities. The odds of having HCA LD were higher for women, children and persons <20 years of age, and persons >60 years of age. Out of the cases caused by Legionella pneumophila with a known serotype, community-acquired LD was more likely to be caused by L. pneumophila serogroup 1 (92.3%) than was HCA LD (85.1%). HCA LD patients were more likely to die. HCA LD is associated with specific patient demographics, causative strains, and outcomes. Healthcare facilities should consider these characteristics when designing HCA LD prevention strategies.

Keywords: Europe; Legionella; Legionella pneumophila; Legionnaires’ disease; bacteria; healthcare-associated; respiratory infections; surveillance.

Figure 1

Locally acquired cases of Legionnaires’ disease, European Union–European Economic Area, 2008–2017. Not included are data from Croatia, which started reporting Legionnaires’ disease in 2013.

Figure 2

Timing of onset of locally acquired Legionnaires’ disease cases, European Union–European Economic Area, 2008–2017. Not included are data from Croatia, which started reporting Legionnaires’ disease in 2013.