Potential exposure to Legionella bacteria at the K Academy

Eighty-four attendees at the K Academy’s annual camp have been potentially exposed to Legionella, a spokesperson for Duke Athletics said Thursday evening.

Legionella is a bacteria that can cause a lung infection known as Legionnaires’ disease According to the CDC. Pontiac fever can also be caused by the bacteria, although this is a less serious diagnosis. The 84 people potentially exposed to Legionella are being treated for flu-like symptoms such as fever, muscle fatigue, nausea and respiratory distress. None of those infected were Duke student-athletes, and no student-athletes were exposed.

Academic medical experts and public health officials are trying to figure out the cause. It is believed to be in the Schwartz-Butters building near the Cameron Indoor Stadium and the training hall believed to have been on display is currently being cleaned up.

All infected people are expected to make a full recovery and Legionella is not spread from person to person, although the New England Journal of Medicine conducted a study where experts suspected person-to-person transmission to be a source of spread.