11 infected, 4 dead with 'MYSTERY' pneumonia in Argentina; know what caused it and symptoms to watch out for

According to latest reports, eleven people are said to be infected, of which four have died due to the mystery pneumonia outbreak in the Tucuman province in northwest Argentina.

Health authorities have confirmed that symptoms of the mystery illness were first reported between 18 and 22 August.

The World Health Organization (WHO) was made aware about the first cluster of six cases on August 29, at a private health facility in the city of San Miguel de Tucumán.

Blood, respiratory and tissues samples were obtained from the 11 cases. Preliminary tests conducted at the local Public Health Laboratory were negative for respiratory viruses, and other viral, bacterial, and fungal agents. On 31 August, samples from the initial six cases were sent to the National Reference Laboratory - the Administration of National Laboratories and Health Institutes, as per the WHO update.

As of 3 September 2022, negative results have been obtained for COVID-19 (RT-PCR), Influenza, and hantavirus.

On 1 September it was announced that a third person had died – a 70-year-old woman who was in the centre for a surgical procedure.

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While initially, health experts were unable to determine the cause of the outbreak, it is now believed that Legionnaires' disease is the cause behind the pneumonia outbreak.

Cleveland Clinic defines Legionnaires' disease as a serious type of pneumonia you get when Legionella bacteria infect your lungs.

L. pneumophila causes Legionnaires’ disease and is commonly found in rivers, lakes and reservoirs in small quantities.

It includes symptoms such as high fever, cough, diarrhea and confusion.

According to the WHO, the disease is a “pneumonia-like illness that varies in severity from mild febrile illness to a serious and sometimes fatal form of pneumonia.”

As per reports, people infected with the mystery pneumonia developed fever, myalgia, abdominal pain and dyspnea.

Luis Medina Ruiz, the minister of public health of the Tucuman province in northwest Argentina, said, "“What these patients have in common is the severe respiratory condition with bilateral pneumonia and compromise in images [x-ray] very similar to Covid, but that is ruled out.”

According to the director of epidemiology of the provincial health system, Dr Rogelio Calli, the symptoms of the mystery pneumonia are very similar to Covid, hantavirus; it can be viruses or bacteria."

Speaking at a press briefing, Luis Medina Ruiz, said: “All patients have some type of comorbidity, such as smoking, [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease], a history of respiratory symptoms, obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure.”

The average age of the patients is said to be 45 years, of which seven are male. All but one patient had comorbidities and/or risk factors for severe disease, including those who died.

Direct human-to-human transmission of this disease has not yet been reported, according to the WHO.

In general, Legionnaires’ disease isn’t contagious and you can't get it from another person. So, if this mystery pneumonia outbreak is due to Legionnaires’ disease, then it isn't transmissible.

"Health authorities are coordinating cluster investigation activities, active case finding to identify additional cases, contact tracing and public health activities to limit further spread, " the WHO has said.

Interestingly, this is not the first time Legionnaires' disease is discovered. It was identified and named in 1976 after an outbreak at a Philadelphia convention of the American Legion of veterans.