Legionnaire's disease

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Legionnaire's disease

Legionella pneumonia Infectious disease A lung infection caused by Legionella pneumophila, which is either sporadic or epidemic with a mortality of up to 15%; depending on the population, Legionella spp cause 1–27% of CAPs; ♂:♀ ratio, 3:1 Epidemiology Most
L pneumophila infections are associated with buildings and ventilation systems; most epidemics occur during the summer with 0.5 to 5% attack rates; the only documented mode of spead is by air Risk factors Cigarettes, alcohol, renal transplant, ↑ age Clinical 2-10 day incubation, followed by an abrupt malaise, headache, myalgia, a dry, initially non-productive, later productive, cough, hemoptysis; fever to 40ºC, rigors often associated with bradycardia; less commonly, nausea, diarrhea, delirium, septicemia, abscesses, acute myocarditis, pericarditis, rhabdomyolysis DiffDx Sporadic LD mimics myoplasma pneumonia, Q fever, tularemia, plague, psittacosis, influenza and other viral pneumonias CXR Patchy, segmental, or lobar, often bilateral, alveolar infiltrates, often progressing to nodule Lab ↓ Na+, ↓ PO₄–, ↑ liver enzymes, proteinuria, microscopic hematuria, relative leukocytosis, ↑ ESR, hyponatremia, ↑ ALT,
↑ AST, ↑ BR, azotemia Complications Empyema, shock, DIC, renal failure, neurologic sequelae, peripheral neuropathy Management Erythromycin, T-S, penicillin Prognosis 15-20% death w/o therapy; up to 50% death in immunocompromised Pts Poor prognostic features Tachycardia, tachypnea, WBCs
≥ 14,000/mm3, ↑ BUN, ↑ creatinine, hyponatremia, hypoxia, leukopenia, bilateral infiltrates on CXR Prevention Chlorination; UV irradiation of water supplies. See Community-acquired pneumonia, Legionella pneumophila. Cf Pontiac disease.

Legionnaire's disease

A lung disease caused by a bacterium.

Mentioned in: Erythromycins

References in periodicals archive ?

Professor Phin continued: "Health professionals should also remember to consider Legionnaire's disease as a possible diagnosis in individuals over the age of 50 with underlying health conditions and presenting with pneumonia-like symptoms, particularly if they are returning holidaymakers."

Half of Legionnaire's victims caught disease on a foreign holiday

The health body is continuing its investigations into the possible source with information circulated to GPs and hospitals in the area to advise them to be alert to the symptoms of Legionnaire's disease. Anyone living in the Carmarthen area and who has symptoms which suggest they may have Legionnaire's disease should contact their GP.

Legionnaire's can be fatal but it can't be passed from one person to another; Legionnaire's disease has hit the headlines this month following two separate suspected incidents of the condition in Wales. Health correspondent Julia McWatt looked at what the condition is, how it spreads and the impact it can have

The Cheshire coroner explained that Legionnaire's disease was not considered a natural cause of death, so he was left with no choice but to record a verdict of accidental death.

Spa gave man fatal disease

Legionnaire's disease is an infection that causes pneumonia and is treated with antibiotics.

Patient suffers legionella infection

Two new cases of legionnaire's disease have been diagnosed in Herefordshire.

Two new cases of legion disease

Coroner Nicholas Rheinberg said Legionnaire's disease was not considered a natural cause of death, so he had to record a verdict of accidental death.

Man caught Legion bug in pool

OUTBREAK Cardiff's Copthorne Hotel, where two people died of Legionnaire's Disease.

Two men arrested in year-long probe

HEALTH experts have launched an investigation after a train driver was admitted to hospital with suspected legionnaire's disease, it emerged today.

Railman sparks health probe

While the organism physically resembles that causing Legionnaire's disease in humans, Wells says that genetically it bears no resemblance to any known bacteria.

Major plant scourge at last identified

Health officials last night said it was safe to visit the town at the centre of a legionnaire's disease outbreak -after the number of confirmed cases rose to 22.

Town hit by killer disease is now 'safe'

THREE people were today being treated in hospital after a fresh outbreak of Legionnaire's disease.

Fresh outbreak of Legionnaire's

Since then, at least 700 nonfatal cases of Legionnaire's disease have been reported each year.