An investigation into four cases of Legionnaires’ disease treated at Croydon University Hospital has found there was no common source and the general public were not at risk of infection.
The patients, who are all from the borough, have been undergoing treatment for the rare lung infection and their cases have been jointly investigated by Public Health England (PHE), Croydon Council and Croydon Health Services.
Doctors have determined there is no direct link between the four cases, with three different strains of the disease proved.
Three of the patients were diagnosed in August and the fourth this month.
Detailed histories of the movements of the four patients have also been explored and investigators have concluded there is no link or pattern between any of the cases.
The hospital has not released information as to where the patients are from for reasons of patient confidentiality, but said three of the patients had now been discharged.
Legionella bacteria is widely distributed in the environment and has been found in ponds, hot and cold water systems and water in air conditioning cooling systems. It can cause pneumonia, and can be fatal.
Investigators will continue to treat the patients as sporadic cases, unless another case presents itself that is found to have a link.
Since September 2009, there have been 15 cases of Legionnaires’ disease in Croydon and nine of these had a history of foreign travel and the infection was acquired abroad.
A spokeswoman for Public Health England said the evidence that had emerged suggested there was no link between the four cases and that there was no common source causing a threat to people.
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