Received letter from RCI on legionellosis cases from recent Brilliance cruises

[CanTex]

Has anyone else received a letter from RCI about 4 recent cases of legionellosis ("Legionairres' Disease") amongst passenger who cruised on Brilliance of the Seas this fall? We got this letter yesterday. 3 of the cases were on the cruise preceding ours (that cruise was Nov. 1 - 13).

 

The letter provides details on testing and cleaning done on the ship since then. It also provides information about transmission and symptoms, and advises people to check with their doctor if you have certain symptoms for more than a few days. Apparently no source on the ship has been found.

 

I know there were some on our cruise who fell ill near the end of the cruise (likely sea sickness) or when they got home , so I'm curious what experiences have been since then...

[melissa@cruisecritic]

Hi Can Tex,

 

We've reached out to Royal Caribbean for information; the letters were sent only to those passenger who sailed on the ship at the end of September and beginning of November. Four passengers (one on the September 26 - October 8 cruise, and the other three on the ship’s November 1 - 13 cruise) developed legionellosis after returning home from their cruises.

 

As you stated, there is no evidence that the source of the illness is related to the ship as no traces of the bacteria that causes these symptoms were found onboard. Spokesman Michael Sheehan tells us that 50 water samples were tested and came back negative; a second batch also came back negative.

 

It's suspected by the European Working Group for Legionella Infection and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that the guests contracted the illness before or after the cruise, or in port. Royal Caribbean voluntarily sent the letters at the suggestion of the European Working Group for Legionella Infection.

 

These bacteria are common in the Mediterranean region and throughout the world, and thrive in wet environments such as ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, as well as municipal water systems, fountains and whirlpools. The illness has an incubation period of 2 to 10 days, with symptoms similar to the flu, including cough, fever and difficulty breathing.

 

Cruising has experienced outbreaks in the past (seven passengers on Fred. Olsen's Black Watch fell ill in 2007 on a 17-night Baltic cruise) -- but this is an isolated incident.

 

 

Has anyone else received a letter from RCI about 4 recent cases of legionellosis ("Legionairres' Disease") amongst passenger who cruised on Brilliance of the Seas this fall? We got this letter yesterday. 3 of the cases were on the cruise preceding ours (that cruise was Nov. 1 - 13).

 

The letter provides details on testing and cleaning done on the ship since then. It also provides information about transmission and symptoms, and advises people to check with their doctor if you have certain symptoms for more than a few days. Apparently no source on the ship has been found.

 

I know there were some on our cruise who fell ill near the end of the cruise (likely sea sickness) or when they got home , so I'm curious what experiences have been since then...

[ShipsInBergen]

I don't want to sound like an idiot but what exactly is legionellosis? How serious is the condition? I am sailing on Brilliance next year and, whilst I am not going to overreact and do not believe there is any significant chance of infection, it would be good to know a little more about the condition, and (if any) preventative measures that could be taken by passengers. Thanks

[melissa@cruisecritic]

Good question. It is a respiratory illness, a type of pneumonia that cannot be passed from person to person. The illness is contracted by inhaling water droplets from a source containing the legionellosis bacteria. Though, like most illnesses, it can be dangerous for those with weak immune systems (like the elderly), most people with legionellosis generally respond well to common antibiotics and fully recover. You can learn more about it here http://www.hse.gov.uk/legionnaires/ or at the U.S.'s http://www.cdc.gov.

 

 

I don't want to sound like an idiot but what exactly is legionellosis? How serious is the condition? I am sailing on Brilliance next year and, whilst I am not going to overreact and do not believe there is any significant chance of infection, it would be good to know a little more about the condition, and (if any) preventative measures that could be taken by passengers. Thanks