Officials are investigating three cases of Legionnaires' disease in individuals treated at Winfield, Ill.-based Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital, according to a Dec. 13 Illinois Department of Public Health news release.
One individual was an inpatient at Central DuPage, while the other two had outpatient visits. The infection could have been contracted at the hospital, but other sources of exposure are possible, the health department noted.
The Illinois Department of Public Health is scheduled to conduct an on-site visit to test the hospital's water. Central DuPage is working with the department to improve its water management plan and implement several control measures.
The hospital has flushed its plumbing system and is working to inform potentially affected patients and staff about Legionnaires' disease.
More articles on clinical leadership & infection control:
Flu has killed 1,300 people this season, CDC estimates
Nurses sleep 83 minutes less before shifts, study finds
25% of outpatient antibiotic prescriptions are inappropriate, study finds