What to know
- Presentation Day/Time: Tuesday, April 22, 1:20–2:45 pm
- Presenter: Cindy Beard, PhD, MPH, EIS officer assigned to the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services
What did we do?
- In June 2024, the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) learned of a patient with Legionnaires' disease (LD) who had showered at a Las Vegas resort and casino facility, following a CDC notification about another patient from December 2023. This led to an outbreak investigation, during which we investigated to identify additional cases, determine potential exposure sources, and prevent further transmission through remediation.
What did we find?
- The facility notified 97% (6,024/6,225) of guests and held 250 meetings to notify 176 potentially exposed employees; 67 persons responded to the survey.
- In addition to the two initial LD cases, 13 probable cases (two LD and 11 Pontiac fever) were identified.
- Median patient age was 50 years (range: 21–68 years) and 7 (47%) were male.
- The most common exposure among patients was use of a shower. Thirty-seven samples were collected across two different sampling events, and Legionella pneumophila was detected once in a room far from the central water heater.
Why does it matter?
- We were not able to pinpoint a specific point source in the investigation, highlighting the importance of early remediation.
- To protect guests at Las Vegas's many hotel and casino facilities, SNHD has a low threshold for collecting environmental samples after detection of a case associated with a facility to inform the need for remediation.
- SNHD's existing protocols enabled rapid environmental sampling, early remediation, and effective collaboration between SNHD and the facility.
***This presentation has updated data that will be shared at the EIS Conference.
Abstract Category: Legionnaires’ Disease