Legionnaires Disease - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Legionnaires Definition

Legionnaires is a member of a legion. Legionnaire's disease is an acute respiratory infection. Legionnaires may be caused by the bacterium Legionella pneumophila, which can cause a broad spectrum of disease from mild cough and fever to a serious pneumonia. This disease may occur epidemically or sporadically, usually in late summer or early fall. Legionnaires is also called legionellosis.

Legionnaires is a highly publicized disease that struck 182 people (29 of whom died) at an American Legion convention in Philadelphia in July of 1976. Most infection occurs in middle-aged or older people, although it has been reported in children. Typically, the disease is less severe in children.

Legionnaires Causes

A disease due to the bacteria Legionella pneumophila found in plumbing, shower heads and water-storage tanks. The bacteria that cause Legionnaire's disease have been found in water delivery systems. It can survive in the warm, moist, air conditioning systems of large buildings including hospitals. Legionnaire disease can cause a massive pneumonia associated with collapse of the respiratory function. It can be an overwhelming and sometimes fatal illness.

The infection is transmitted through the respiratory system. Person-to-person spread has not been proved. Legionella bacilli also flourish in soil and excavation sites. Legionnaires' disease occurs more often in men than in women and is most likely to affect middle-aged to elderly people.

Legionnaires Symptoms

The multisystem clinical features of Legionnaires' disease follow a predictable sequence, although onset of the disease may be gradual or sudden. After a 2- to 10-day incubation period, nonspecific, prodromal signs and symptoms appear, From the onset of symptoms, the condition typically worsens during the first 4 to 6 days.

The symptoms of the legionnaires may be included:

• Fever
• Joint pain
• Diarrhea
• Ataxia
• Malaise
• Chest pain
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Shaking chills
• Loss of energy
• General discomfort
• Nonproductive cough
• Coughing of blood
• Shortness of breath

Legionnaires Treatments

Antibiotic treatment begins as soon as Legionnaires' disease is suspected and diagnostic material is collected.

Antibiotics that have been used successfully to combat Legionella include doxycycline, clarithromycin, fluorinated quinolones, and trimethoprim or sulfamethoxazole.

Legionnaires' disease can be very serious and can cause death in up to 5% to 30% of cases. Most cases can be treated successfully with antibiotics.

The goal of treatment is to eliminate the infection with antibiotics. Treatment is started as soon as Legionnaire's disease is suspected, without waiting for confirmation by culture results.