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• Improved epidemiological investigation of identified situations;
• Promotion of environmental studies and isolation of environmental
strains, following confirmation of disease cases;
• Increasedthenumberof
Legionella
strains isolatedfromenvironmental
origins;
• Promotion of the molecular characterization of
Legionella
strains
isolated from environmental origins;
• Comparison of clinical strains with those of environmental origin.
The creation of a program, VigLab, to reinforce the already existing
surveillance program(DDO) wasn’t a newsituation.The same happen in 2002
for Meningococcal Disease, with the creation of the Integrated Surveillance
ProgramMeningococcal Disease. (DGS website)
With these goals, the definition of infection was updated (clinical
diagnosis); the laboratory notification was implemented (all clinical
laboratories are required to notify the diagnosis of a case); and several
institutions were involved in surveillance, particularly in the diagnosis,
investigation of environmental samples and in the characterization of strains.
Given the complexity of the epidemiology of Legionnaires’ disease, the
VigLab program involves a variety of professional areas. It enrols clinicians
who are required to notify the cases immediately after confirmed diagnosis
and also the creation of teams of environmental health from local or regional
public health services charged with recommendation of measures to be taken
to control the identified sources of infection.
This process is initiated by the local council of Health Delegates should
with anEpidemiological Survey that will help identify possible environmental
sources. (DGS website).
