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Playboy Mansion Illness; Hot Tub Bacteria caused Legionnaires Disease

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The Los Angeles County Health Officials have established that the bacteria which caused scores of people to suffer from Legionnaires Disease were traced to a hot tub at the Playboy Mansion where they attended a fundraiser in February.

The Health Officials from Los Angeles County presented the evidence at an annual conference at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. This legionella bacterium not only causes Legionnaires Disease but also Pontiac Fever, a milder illness that has fever and headache as its symptoms.

The people who attended the fundraiser at Playboy Mansion reported respiratory illness after the famous Domainfest conference which was held in February this year.

The Health Officials contacted 439 people and their finding reveal that out of these 439 people 123 people suffered fever and some other related symptoms while 69 of them fell ill on the same day.

We just hope that this finding is not going to affect the upcoming marriage of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner who is ready to tie the knot with his third wife this summer.

From 05 News

Could You Have Had an Undiagnosed Legionella Infection?

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Friday, February 18, 2011
San Diego, CA
ExpertClick

The water-borne infections that struck guests of the Playboy Mansion are more common than you think.

According to the Los Angeles County Health Department, about 200 people who attended a recent Playboy Mansion fundraiser were infected by Legionella bacteria. Four of them came down with Legionnaires’ disease, a sometimes deadly pneumonia; the rest had Pontiac fever, a flu-like illness that lasts about three days.

As many as 18,000 people in the United States contract Legionnaires’ disease each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 5% to 30% of whom die from it within a few days or weeks.

About 90% of Legionnaires’ cases go undetected, in part because physicians treat the pneumonia but don’t test for Legionella bacteria.

“That’s a big problem,” says Matt Freije, author of Protect Yourself from Legionnaires’ Disease: The waterborne illness that continues to kill and harm. “If Legionella is not recognized as the cause of the infection, then no investigation is performed to pinpoint and fix the plumbing system, hot tub, or other water system that caused it, and that water system can continue to make people sick.”

Pontiac fever is even less likely than Legionnaires’ disease to be diagnosed because it is less severe. Most of us don’t even go to the doctor when we get the flu, let alone try to find out what caused it. Generally, Pontiac fever is recognized only when physicians in the same vicinity report several flu-like illnesses at the same time, attracting the attention of the health department, as with the Playboy event.

According to Freije, “Laws in much of Australia and Europe require building owners to maintain water systems to minimize Legionella bacteria but prevention is not mandated in the United States. I have received emails from many Legionnaires’ survivors who were outraged to find out they suffered from a disease that is preventable.”

Steve Sederstrom is one of the Legionnaires’ survivors who tells his story in Freije’s book. “My experience with Legionnaires’ disease was the worst thing I have ever been through. After five months I still have a major problem with short-term memory. I forget where I am going, or forget people’s names even though I have known them for years. I am afraid that I will never get my memory back.”

Playboy Mansion Legionnaires Outbreak Being Investigated by L.A. Co. Dept. of Public Health: 200 Now Reported Sick

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KTLA reports that the number of people who became sick after attending or working at a party at the Playboy Mansion has climbed to 200.

And according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health investigators have focused on the Playboy event as they look for the cause of the sickness.

Health officials say the possible outbreak of legionellosis, or Pontiac fever, affected people connected with the DOMAINfest Global Conference held at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica on Feb. 1-3.

The 3-day conference took place at the Fairmont Hotel in Santa Monica.

On the second night, there was a party at the Sky Bar on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, and on the third night, the finale party took place at the iconic Playboy Mansion.

Within 48 hours after leaving the mansion, scores of attendees reported coming down with symptoms including fever, respiratory problems and violent headaches.

“The department is investigating several locations associated with this conference, including the Playboy Mansion in Holmby Hills,” the statement said.

“At this time, Public Health has not determined that the source of exposure is limited to a specific location. The department is working to conclusively identify the source of exposure and the likely cause of illness for this suspected outbreak.”

According to the LA Times, the LA Co. Dept. of Public Health sent out an e-mail on Friday to all the attendees warning them that they had received a cluster of reports of people becoming ill after attending the conference and the Playboy Mansion event.

Pontiac fever is a mild from of legionellosis – the severe form is called Legionnaires disease.

The condition is caused by a bacteria, usually only last for 2 to 5 days and treatment is generally unnecessary.

Symptoms include fever, headache and muscle ache.

Infection usually occurs by breathing in mist from a water source contaminated with the bacteria such as hot tubs, air conditioning systems and showers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The bacteria are not spread from person to person, according to the CDC, but are instead inhaled in water vapor.

Some of those who became ill said they suspected a fog machine that was used at the party.

The county Department of Public Health is investigating several locations associated with the conference, including the Playboy Mansion. “At this time, Public Health has not determined that the source of exposure is limited to a specific location. The department is working to conclusively identify the source of exposure and the likely cause of illness for this suspected outbreak,” according to a statement released by the agency on Monday.

A rep for Playboy told the New York Post that, “There is no truth in the rumor that anyone caught anything at the Playboy Mansion. Nor is there any evidence. None of the Playboy staff became ill, the deejay was in the middle of the fog and she didn’t get ill. We have been contacted by the Health Department and the Playboy Mansion is cooperating fully with the investigation.”

DOMAINfest organizers say an estimated 700 people from 30 countries attended the 3-day conference.