Public Health England (PHE) has asked you to review data obtained during their investigation of a recent outbreak of Legionnaire’s disease at Peel Park Hospital.

The outbreak occurred in the first week of February 2023, during which time 6 patients developed pneumonia and a further 8 patients and 2 staff members developed milder, flu-like symptoms. Once a diagnosis has been achieved, all patients have been prescribed erythromycin.

Four of the 6 pneumonia patients made a rapid recovery, but two patients required life-support in the intensive care unit (ICU). One of these patients was immediately prescribed levofloxacin and made a rapid recovery, but the condition of the second patient, who was treated with azithromycin, did not improve until his therapy was switched to levofloxacin.

A PHE outbreak investigation team collected samples from various water sources in the hospital in order to try and identify where patients acquired their infections from.