Although not classed as food microbiology this waterborne bacteria is often associated with food factories and cooling towers.
One man has died and 15 people are in a critical condition in hospital following an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease.
A further 15 suspected cases are being investigated in Edinburgh, NHS Lothian said.
The health board said the patient who died was in his 50s and had underlying health conditions. He was being treated at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
Thirteen men and two women aged between 33 and 74 are in a critical condition with the disease and are being treated in intensive care in hospitals in the Lothian area. One man has recovered and has been discharged.
A further 10 men and five women are also being treated in hospitals but their illness has not yet been confirmed.
The majority of the confirmed cases are linked geographically to the Dalry, Gorgie and Saughton areas in the south-west of the Scottish capital.
The bacteria can end up in artificial water supply systems, including air conditioning systems, water services and cooling towers.
Legionnaires’ disease is contracted by breathing in small droplets of contaminated water.
Symptoms include mild headaches, muscle pain, fever, a persistent cough and sometimes vomiting and diarrhoea, and can begin any time between two and 14 days after exposure to the bacteria. The first case was identified on Thursday May 28.
About half of those who contract the disease will also experience changes to their mental state, such as confusion.
The condition is not contagious and cannot be spread directly from person to person.
FoodWorld 
Which food factories are you referring to?
Hi
I think i should have been clearer as I was trying to provide a link between the article and food sites. The conditions in the water systems of many food factories are possible places for the growth of Legionella bacteria and as such food manufactureres should risk assess their water systems for Legionella especially in respect of cooling towers. Not risk assessing your food manufacturign site can lead to problems with the law in that during a Legionella outbreak the authorities do not have to prove that Legionealla was in your water system but can rely on the fact that you did not have adequate assessment and monitoring to prove that is did not come from your system.
I think there were cases associated with Baxters in 2005 , Kepak in 2009 and McCain in France 2004.