Legionnaires' disease outbreak in Vic

Three people have contracted the potentially deadly legionnaires' disease in Melbourne west. Source: AAP

THREE people have been struck down by an outbreak of potentially deadly legionnaires' disease in Melbourne.

Two men and a woman, aged between 47 and 88, are recovering after hospital treatment.

All live in the Altona North area or spent time there in April and May, Department of Health spokesman Bram Alexander says.

He said the first case came to light in early April and the most recent was confirmed on Friday.

The department has taken samples from air-conditioning cooling towers and has disinfected them as a precaution, but Mr Alexander said the source of the outbreak might not be found.

"We will continue to do the work that we need to do to find the source, but there are occasions where we do not find the source," he told AAP.

Single cases of the illness were not unusual, Mr Alexander said.

Early symptoms are flu-like, and include headache, fever, chills, confusion and muscle aches and pains.

These initial symptoms develop into respiratory problems and pneumonia within three or four days, with the full onset of the disease within 10 days of infection.

People aged over 50, heavy smokers or drinkers, diabetics, people with chronic lung disease and people with immune system deficiencies are at the highest risk.

Fifteen Victorians have contracted the illness this year, which is down from 23 at the same time in 2013.

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