1976 Philadelphia Legionnaires' disease outbreak killed 16 persons out of 78 infected was later determined to be Legionnaires' disease. A September 1974 convention of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows was also held at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel. Out of approximately 1,500 members who attended, 20 developed pneumonia and two died. A later article in "The Lancet" reported: "Illness [high fever and pneumonia] was significantly associated with attendance at one convention activity held on Monday morning, September 16, 1974, in the grand ballroom of the hotel." 1976 Philadelphia Legionnaires' disease outbreak The 1976 Legionnaires disease outbreak, occurring in the late summer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was the
Legionella cherrii were cultured around 36 °C in an environment containing 2.5% carbon dioxide. The genus "Legionella" is named after the 1976 pneumonia ("Legionella pneumophila") outbreak at the American Legion convention at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia. The genus was previously unknown, but it was established three years later. The specific term "cherrii" is derived from the scientist William B. Cherry due to his contributions on the studies of Legionellae. "L. cherrii" is rod-shaped and considered an oxidase-negative bacterium since it lacks cytochrome c oxidase and does not use oxygen in its electron transport chain. "L. cherrii" also has the ability to