Prisoner Relocation Avoided

PathCon Labs assisted in the investigation of a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak with eight suspected cases associated with a county courthouse and a nearby prison housing approximately 800 maximum security prisoners. At the time PathCon Labs was retained, the county had ordered the prison closed and the prisoners to be relocated because of the Legionnaires’ disease threat. After a review of all the microbiological, epidemiological and clinical findings, PathCon Labs was able to conclude that there were, in fact, no confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ at the facility, and the order to close the facility was based on inadequate information. This finding saved the county many millions of dollars, and avoided a logistical nightmare of transferring over 800 maximum security prisoners.