A new test for Legionnaires' disease will be introduced soon in Bermuda.

The announcement was made yesterday by King Edward VII Memorial Hospital's consultant microbiologist, Dr. Richard C. Tilton.

And it comes amid concern about the bacterium Legionella at the Island's hospitals.

A source at St. Brendan's Hospital -- hit by an outbreak in 1991 -- this week told The Royal Gazette staff were concerned.

"There have been two outbreaks at the hospital. Many staff believe the organism is still in the water system, many believe there have been deaths stemming from infection.

"Just one other thing swept under the carpet along with everything else.'' Senior microbiologist Mrs. Sue Smith accepted there was "ongoing concern'' among staff.

But she added: "To the best of my knowledge there have been six cases of Legionnaire's disease in the last five years or so in Bermuda.'' Mrs. Smith and Dr. Tilton agreed education was the best way of tackling concerns about the disease, which produces symptoms similar to pneumonia and is caused by airborne infection.

Said Dr. Tilton: "I think we are all concerned about Legionnaire's disease in hospitals, and it bespeaks hospitals to look at their water systems and cooling towers very carefully.'' He pointed out there had been outbreaks of the disease in American hospitals.

"For the most part it is not employees who are affected. Unfortunately it's patients who are affected -- the older ones and young babies, in particular.'' In September 1991, up to five people at St. Brendan's were thought to have been gripped by the powerful Legionella bacterium, sparking a full investigation.

Staff worried about infection were offered blood testing, and fittings and plumbing throughout the building were understood to have been cleansed.

Several months earlier, there was another Legionnaires' disease alarm.

A St. Brendan's staff member caught the disease amid allegations of a cover-up.

Yesterday Dr. Tilton said he believed some of those originally thought to have contracted Legionnaires' disease in 1991 had not done so.

They had received "falsely positive'' tests, he added.

Senior vice-president of the North American Laboratory Group in Connecticut, Dr. Tilton said health experts were excited by the new Legionnaires' disease test.

It was a "very sophisticated'' test involving urine samples. The disease could be diagnosed within two or three hours, explained Dr. Tilton.

He hoped the test would be available in Bermuda within the next two or three months.

Earlier, Dr. Tilton, who left the Island yesterday, told how he helped the Bermuda Hospitals' Board develop a "antibiotic utilisation'' plan.

He said Bermuda was very fortunate in having few problems of antibiotics resistance.

The Island should be applauded for controlling the use of antibiotics, which cut down on costs.

In contrast, antibiotics were overused in other countries, he pointed out.

Some of the antibiotics taken in Bermuda had not been used in the United States and Canada for 20 years.

Dr. Tilton, who makes periodic visits to Bermuda, also touched on AIDS.

He said there was great concern about the spread of the virus in the heterosexual community overseas and locally.