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Legionnaire's Disease

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Legionellosis is an infection caused by the genus of Gram negative bacteria Legionella, notably L. pneumophila. At least 46 species and 70 serogroups have been identified. L. pneumophila, a ubiquitous aquatic organism that thrives in warm environments (25 to 45 °C with an optimum around 35 °C) causes over 90 % of Legionnaires Disease.

The disease has two distinct forms:

Legionnaires' disease is the name for the more severe form of infection which includes pneumonia
Pontiac fever is a milder respiratory illness without pneumonia caused by the same bacterium
Legionnaires' disease acquired its name in 1976 when an outbreak of pneumonia occurred among people attending a convention of the American Legion in Philadelphia. On January 18, 1977 scientists identified the causative agent as a previously unknown bacterium, subsequently named Legionella.

An estimated 8,000 to 18,000 people get Legionnaires' disease in the United States each year. Some people can be infected with the Legionella bacterium and have mild symptoms or no illness at all.

Outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease receive significant media attention. However, this disease usually occurs as a single, isolated case not associated with any recognized outbreak. When outbreaks do occur, they are usually recognized in the summer and early fall, but cases may occur year-round. Legionnaires' disease is fatal for about 5% to 30% of individuals.

Patients with Legionnaires' disease usually have fever, chills, and a cough, which may be dry or may produce sputum. Some patients also have muscle aches, headache, tiredness, loss of appetite, and, occasionally diarrhea. Laboratory tests may show that patients' kidneys are not functioning properly. Chest X-rays often show pneumonia. It is difficult to distinguish Legionnaires' disease from other types of pneumonia by symptoms or radiologic findings alone; other tests are required for diagnosis.

Persons with Pontiac fever experience fever and muscle aches without pneumonia. They generally recover in 2 to 5 days without treatment.

The time between the patient's exposure to the bacterium and the onset of illness for Legionnaires' disease is 2 to 10 days; for Pontiac fever, it is shorter, generally a few hours to 2 days.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia