A recent outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in Milan, Italy, has killed at least four people and hospitalised several dozen more, according to The Metro. The health authorities say that at least 53 cases have been confirmed in two regions inside the Milan metropolitan area of a severe lung infection.

In response, local authorities are taking urgent measures to control the situation, including deploying chemicals to disinfect the city’s water supply. However, despite extensive testing of water supply systems in private residences and cooling towers, the exact source of the outbreak remains unidentified, according to the news report.

The continuous investigation of finding the source of infection has left the city in great suspense, and sensitivity has developed regarding what efforts should be present to prevent further cases.

What is Legionnaires’ disease?

According to a Washington Post report, Legionnaires’ is a serious form of pneumonia caused by the bacteria Legionella. The pathogen can also cause Pontiac fever, a flu-like illness considered to be a less serious disease.

The bacteria was first discovered decades ago when a mysterious illness sickened dozens attending a 1976 convention of the American Legion in Philadelphia. In that outbreak, 221 people were infected, and 34 died.

The disease initially alarmed health officials, who feared the sickness might spread beyond the conferencegoers. Ultimately, scientists found the bacteria bred in the water of a cooling tower of the air-conditioning system at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel, where the conference was being held.

How does Legionnaires’ disease spread?

Legionella grow in biofilms lining water pipes, pipes that lead to showers, drinking faucets, and HVAC systems for cooling, said Panagis Galiatsatos, an associate professor of medicine in pulmonary and critical care medicine at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Centre at Johns Hopkins University.

Legionella can even grow in the tanks that hold windscreen wiper fluid in a car, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

People can become infected by breathing in mist or swallowing water into the lungs that’s contaminated with the bacteria. “Less commonly, people can get sick by aspiration of drinking water containing Legionella,” a CDC spokeswoman said Tuesday.

A 25-year-old woman in the UK nearly lost her vision after she developed an ulcer on her eye, BBC reported. According to the doctors, the ulcer was caused by her contact lenses. Notably, Steph Carrasco was suffering itchiness in her eye, following which she consulted an eye doctor. She simply thought she was having some irritation from daily contact use. 

However, her problem turned out to be much more serious as the eye doctor told her she had ”aggressive bacteria” in her eye, which had caused the ulcer on the cornea. Her optometrist then referred her to a specialist eye hospital. She spent one week in the hospital, with 72 drops of antibiotics administered to her eye daily in an effort to reduce the ulcer. 

Ms Carrasco said, ”By the time I was admitted to the hospital, I could barely see. It was terrifying. It was terrifying. Thankfully, Jack and the team were outstanding. He made sure I didn’t leave the Specsavers store until he had arranged plans with the hospital and kept me reassured during an incredibly stressful time. He was quick thinking and thorough – I couldn’t be more grateful.”

Despite the daily dose of antibiotics, the ulcer did not heal, leaving the medical staff no choice but to perform a cornea transplant.

Three weeks on, her vision has improved, and it is hoped it will return in full by October, allowing her to go back to work. She said, “I was told by the medical staff at the hospital that the bacteria in my eye was so harsh that if it had been left any longer, I would have lost my eye completely.”

According to the Cleveland Clinic, corneal ulcers are usually caused by an infection or severe dry eye, but those who wear contact lenses may be particularly at risk if they don’t clean their lenses correctly or leave them in too long, While most ulcers can be treated with antibiotics or antifungal eye drops, severe cases can lead to permanent sight loss through scarring.

Optometrist Jack Brenton, who initially treated Ms Carrasco spoke about the importance of having a sight test every two years and consulting an optometrist immediately if people have any concerns about their eyes or vision. 

“Fortunately, Steph is already on the road to recovery and we hope her vision will be back to normal within a month, but her story is a case-in-point of why a rapid medical assessment is so crucial,” he noted.