1976 Philadelphia Legionnaires' disease outbreak 1976 Philadelphia Legionnaires' disease outbreak The 1976 Legionnaires disease outbreak, occurring in the late summer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was the first occasion in which a cluster of a particular type of pneumonia cases were determined to be caused by the "Legionella pneumophila" bacteria. Previous outbreaks were retroactively diagnosed as being most probably caused by Legionella bacteria. On July 21, 1976, the American Legion opened its annual three-day convention at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More than 2,000 Legionnaires, mostly men, attended the convention. The date and city were chosen to coincide with America’s celebration of the 200th anniversary of
Epidemiology of pneumonia pneumonia occurred in approximately 156 million children (151 million in the developing world and 5 million in the developed world). It caused in 1.6 million deaths or 28–34% of all deaths in those under five years of age of which 95% occur in the developing world. Countries with the greatest burden of disease include: India (43 million), China (21 million) and Pakistan (10 million). Children in developing countries are at a significantly higher risk for developing pneumonia because malnutrition, overcrowding, and the lack of proper housing are prevalent risk factors. Other illnesses can also worsen the chances for developing pneumonia,