A 62 year old woman died on June 21, 2017, after staying at the Guest House at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee from June 10-13, 2017 with three members of her family. Legionnaires’ disease was reportedly listed as her cause of death by the medical examiner on her autopsy. Her accompanying family members also fell ill and tested positive for Legionnaires’ disease. The family filed a lawsuit, alleging that the Guest House at Graceland did not properly maintain its water systems, and thus caused the outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease. She and her family reportedly used the pool and hot tub at…
Five cases of Legionnaires’ disease are believed to be associated with The Guest House at Graceland. While the hotel remains open to the public, the aquatic facilities at the hotel are currently closed. The Shelby County Health Department is working with the Tennessee Department of Health to investigate this area of the hotel as the possible source of the Legionella bacteria. Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia that is contracted by inhaling mist or water vapor contaminated with Legionella bacteria. Not everyone who comes in contact with Legionella bacteria develops Legionnaires’ disease. Those that are more susceptible are people over the…
Last week, the Guest House at Graceland hotel on Elvis Presley Boulevard shut down its pool area after three individuals were diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease. Now, that number has risen to five cases of Legionnaires’ disease believed to be associated with the hotel. Legionnaires’ disease is caused by exposure to Legionella bacteria which is found in water. While many individuals who are exposed to the bacteria do not become ill, those with compromised immune systems or underlying medical conditions are more likely to experience Legionella-related illness. Symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease resemble that of pneumonia, and can include lethargy, fever, shortness of breath,…
Two separate cases of Legionnaires’ disease among guests of the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino sparked an investigation of the hotel by the Southern Nevada Health District. The guests stayed at the hotel at different times in March and April of 2017. A water sample taken by health officials from the hotel’s water system after the two cases were reported showed presence of Legionella bacteria. The district’s environmental health supervisor, Mark Bergtholdt, reportedly stated that large buildings- such as the Rio hotel- would be common homes to Legionella bacteria due to the complex plumbing systems, in which water may lay stagnant for long periods…