GALVESTON -- Bacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease has been found in the water system at the hurricane-damaged University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

But experts today said UTMB patients at not believed to be at great risk.

Hurricane Ike slammed Galveston on Sept. 13.

UTMB is still reopening after being heavily damaged by the storm.

The complex is in the middle of testing water samples to determine the level of contamination. The hospital has also hired a consulting firm to perform additional testing.

Legionnaire's, a form of pneumonia, is caused by bacteria that occur naturally in water. Officials say the bacteria probably formed in water that remained stagnant for weeks in hospital pipes after the hurricane.

The bacteria are not believed to have spread beyond the hospital and there have been no reports of human infections.