(Bloomberg) -- Mario Scaramella, an Italian contact of poisoned former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, is showing no signs of illness after tests detected radioactive material, a spokesman for the London hospital treating him said. Tests yesterday detected polonium 210, the substance that poisoned Litvinenko, according to a site manager at University College Hospital, who declined to be identified. The spokesman, speaking by telephone today, didn't name the patient. Italy's government yesterday identified him as Scaramella, an academic. ``He is currently well and showing no symptoms of radiation poisoning,'' the hospital spokesman said.
The Italian met Litvinenko on Nov. 1, the day the former spy fell ill, the British Broadcasting Corp. said. An investigation into Litvinenko's death on Nov. 23 led to polonium 210 being found in at least 12 buildings in London, and at least five airliners have been examined.