Legionella bacteria found at Playboy Mansion after illnesses

Source: Reuters, March 2, 2011
By: Dan Whitcomb

Health officials investigating a respiratory illness that infected some 200 people after a party at the Playboy Mansion said on Tuesday they had found the bacteria that causes Legionnaires disease in a water source there.
But the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said it was still unclear if the Legionella bacteria, commonly found in wet environments, were responsible for the outbreak of infection.
“We are still considering several possible causes of illness,” Dr. Jonathan Fielding, the department’s director, said in a written statement.
The health department said that about 200 people reported becoming sick with fever, chills, coughs and general malaise after a social event at the Playboy Mansion on the last day of the DOMAINfest internet investment conference in February.
“In the course of its ongoing investigation, Public Health has identified Legionella bacteria in a sample taken from a water source at the Playboy Mansion,” the department said in the statement.
“Public Health is continuing to work with surrounding county health departments, the California Department of Public Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate this suspected outbreak.”
A spokesman for the department declined to comment further and it was unclear if any of the partygoers were hospitalized.
In a statement on its Web site, DOMAINfest organizers said they had been assisting the health officials in their investigation.
“We are encouraged to hear further reports that more and more people who have been sick with the mysterious illness are feeling better,” DOMAINfest said in the statement.
“For those of you still feeling ill, please seek the advice of a doctor and we sincerely wish you a speedy recovery.”
Representatives for Playboy Enterprises had no immediate comment on the discovery of Legionella bacteria at the mansion. A spokeswoman has said previously that Playboy was cooperating with the Department of Public Health in its investigation.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Legionella bacteria can cause Legionnaires disease or a milder infection known as Pontiac Fever.
Between 8,000 and 18,800 people are hospitalized in the U.S. each year with Legionnaires disease, which takes its name from a 1976 outbreak at an American Legion convention in Philadelphia.
The CDC said on its web site that Legionnaires disease can cause death in up to 30 percent of cases, but that otherwise healthy people usually recover with the aid of antibiotics.

Find a Broker or Underwriter

Search by product, location or name
SEARCH BY PRODUCT
---
Agribusiness
Aviation
Binding Authority
Builder's Risk
Casualty
Commercial Umbrella / Excess
Construction
Cyber
DIC
Defense Based Act
Earthquake
Energy
Environmental
Environmental & Construction Professional
Excess
Farm & Ranch
Flood/Earthquake
Garage
Healthcare
Healthcare
Inland Marine
Life Sciences
Marine
Occupational Accident
Package
Personal Lines
Personal Lines Farm & Ranch
Personal Lines – QuickHome
Personal Standard Lines
Personal Umbrella / Excess
Pollution
Private Client
Private Equity
Product Recall
Professional & Executive Liability
Property
Public Entity
Railroad
Real Estate
Shared Economy
Standard Lines
Surety
Surety
Transactional Liability & Private Equity
Transportation
Workers' Compensation
SEARCH BY LOCATION
---
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District Of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/us/best-insurance/best-wholesale-brokers-usa--5star-wholesale-brokers-and-mgas-478736.aspxhttps://www.newsweek.com/rankings/most-loved-workplaces-2024https://premium.insurancebusinessmag.com/us-iba-top-insurance-employers-2024-ryan-specialty/p/1

Please Update Your Browser

Unfortunately Microsoft is no longer providing support or security fixes for your web browser. RT Specialty values the safety and security of its clients’ data, and as such this site requires the use of a modern web browser. To update your web browser, please see the links below. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please email info@rtspecialty.com or call (312) 784-6001.

Firefox Firefox Chrome Chrome IE Internet Explorer Edge Microsoft Edge