Inquiry into Legionnaires' cases

The Legionella bacteria is found in mist from contaminated water

Health experts are investigating whether three cases of Legionnaires' disease are linked.

Three men, two from Shropshire and one from Powys, are being treated at an intensive care unit at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

The patients, aged in their 40s and 50s, are described as seriously ill.

Experts said there was no evidence they were linked but they were speaking to the patients' relatives to see if there was a common source of the bacteria.

A spokeswoman for the Health Protection Agency (HPA) said: "Every year there are 350 cases of Legionnaires' in England and Wales and out of those half are isolated cases, often linked to foreign travel.

We are taking detailed histories of the movements of the patients Dr Robb Carr, consultant

"There is no evidence to suggest these three cases are linked and we know at least one of them has recently been abroad," she said.

The men are believed to have been in hospital since late last month.

Dr Robb Carr, (HPA) consultant in communicable diseases, said: "We are taking detailed histories of the movements of the patients to establish whether these are isolated cases or if there are links between them.

"However, as a precaution we are working with the Health and Safety Executive and environmental health services to take urgent action to identify and control any possible source of the infection."

They include cleaning and disinfecting potential sources of the disease such as cooling towers, alerting health care staff to look out for Legionnaires' symptoms in patients and making people aware of the symptoms.

Breathing difficulties

Legionnaires' disease is most often contracted by inhaling mist from water sources such as whirlpool baths, showers, and cooling towers.

It cannot be passed from one human to another.

The most common cause of the disease is contaminated air conditioning systems.

Patients show flu-like symptoms in the early stages which can develop into fever with breathing difficulties following. It is fatal in 5-15% of cases.