Legionnaires' bacterium not detected at site

Investigators from the Hillsborough County Health Department were unable to find the source of Legionnaires' disease at a Plant City mobile home park where one man died and two others were hospitalized after contracting the illness.

A nine-member team of "disease detectives" took samples from several spots at Country Meadows mobile home park. The team was unable to find traces of the bacteria that cause the flu-like disease, health department spokesman Steve Huard said.

The results of those tests came back to the health department on Monday, Huard said.

Because there have been no additional cases of the disease reported at the park since the mid-October outbreak, officials doubt they will find the source.

"Without new cases, it will likely remain a mystery," Huard said.

Gene Swanson, 76, contracted Legionnaires' disease and died Oct. 15, according to the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner's Office.

Two other people at the mobile home park contracted the disease as well, county health officials said.

It is not known whether Swanson, who had other "significant health issues," succumbed to the disease, said Sherry Filippone, a forensics investigator for the medical examiner's office.

When informed by a reporter of the health department's findings, James Butterworth, president of Country Meadows Residents Association, said the mostly elderly residents in the 799-unit mobile home park would be "relieved."

"A lot of them use the pool for therapeutic reasons," Butterworth said.

"I think they are going to be relieved. There were a lot of rumors flying around," he said.

Initially, there was some concern about the pool area at the park because an inspection after the disease was discovered showed that chlorine levels were below standards, according to the health department.

The chlorine level subsequently was increased, which made it useless for investigators to sample the water.

Instead, they took samples from showers, restrooms, the main clubhouse, the cabana clubhouse, air conditioners, the water treatment center and outflow from a pond.

Legionnaires' disease is one of the more than 35 species of the Legionella bacterium, which is found naturally in the environment, usually in water, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The bacteria grow best in warm water such as that found in hot tubs, cooling towers, hot water tanks, large plumbing systems or air conditioning systems of large buildings.