Humidifier fever on a Type 42 destroyer

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Epidemiology
• Environmental Health

Background:

• A cluster of symptoms among sailors on HMS SHEFFIELD in 1981 prompted an investigation.
• The symptoms were widespread among messmates, indicating a potential environmental or infectious cause.
• The investigation focused on a Type 42 destroyer, a confined naval environment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the cause of the widespread illness among sailors.
• To investigate the epidemiological and clinical features of the outbreak.
• To prevent future occurrences of similar health issues on naval vessels.

Main Methods:

• Epidemiological investigation on board HMS SHEFFIELD.
• Clinical assessment of affected sailors.
• Analysis of environmental factors, specifically air conditioning systems.

Main Results:

• All members of a specific mess deck were diagnosed with humidifier fever.
• The outbreak was linked to issues with the ship's environmental control systems.
• The illness affected a single mess deck, suggesting a localized cause.

Conclusions:

• Humidifier fever was identified as the cause of the outbreak.
• Preventive measures, including continuous air conditioning operation during refits, were recommended.
• These measures are believed to have successfully prevented recurrence on other ships.