Fourth Legionnaires' case found

Legionnaire's disease is a rare type of pneumonia

A fourth person has been found to have contracted Legionnaires' disease in a cluster of cases being investigated in Surrey and Hampshire.

The 49-year-old, from Hampshire, was in Surrey for work before he became ill in the middle of July, the counties' Health Protection Units (HPU) said.

Three cases of the disease were confirmed earlier this month by Surrey Heath Borough Council.

Two men who remain in hospital are continuing to improve.

The other two people have been able to return home.

Samples negative

The HPUs said there was still no evidence to link any of the four cases except that all visited, worked or lived in the Surrey area.

Surrey Heath council said it had taken samples from various premises in the borough, which had all come back negative.

Further samples taken from the home of one victim are expected next week.

"Hampshire and Berkshire are now involved in the same investigation as the council and we are looking into other potential sources of the legionella within the borough," said a spokesman.

The HPUs said the cluster of apparently unconnected cases in Surrey fitted with a national trend of increased reports of isolated cases with no obvious cause.

Between January and June 2005 there were 103 cases of Legionnaires' disease in England and Wales.

In the same period in 2006 there were 120 and in 2007 there were 151.

The HPUs said that an increased awareness of the disease and greater use of rapid testing methods was probably contributing to more cases being detected.

Symptoms of Legionnaires' disease include a flu-like illness with muscle aches, tiredness, headaches, dry cough and fever, leading on to pneumonia.

Sometimes diarrhoea occurs and confusion may develop. It can be treated with antibiotics.