Legionnaires' Case Closes NJ Courthouse

A courthouse was closed after a worker was diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease, and the building won't reopen at least until Monday, authorities said Friday.

State and county officials said they did not know the woman's medical condition, in part because of confidentiality rules. The Times of Trenton reported Friday that a hospital listed her in critical condition.

The patient is an independent title searcher who works out of the Mercer County clerk's office.

Court officials learned of her presumptive diagnosis Thursday and immediately closed the courthouse and an adjacent annex to begin testing. No evidence of Legionella, the bacteria that causes the disease, has been found.

Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes said authorities were "erring on the side of caution."

State health department spokesman Tom Slater said Friday the woman's diagnosis was confirmed.

Legionellosis is a serious form of pneumonia, dubbed "Legionnaires' disease" after a 1976 outbreak at an American Legion convention in Philadelphia.

Indoor cases are often associated with poorly maintained cooling towers and potable water systems, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

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On the Net:

Disease information: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/legionnairesdisease