Legionnaires Disease - Symptoms & Treatment

Legionnaires' disease is a form of pneumonia which is caused by the Legionella bacteria. Leastwise 180 American Legion members attending the conference contracted a mysterious pneumonia that did not respond to conventional antibiotic treatment. Ultimately, the villain turned out to be Legionella pneumophila, a bacteria that was proliferating in the hotel's air conditioning system. Other outbursts have since occurred in the U.S. and Europe. Most people who get Pontiac fever convalesce within five days, without having to be hospitalized. Exposure to the Legionella bacteria doesn't inevitably lead to infection. According to some studies, an estimated 5-10% of the American population show serologic evince of exposure, the majority of whom do not develop symptoms of an infection. People over the age of 50 are more hopefully to develop Legionnaires' disease, which accounts for one to eight percent of all pneumonias in the United States. The populations at the highest risk are the aged, smokers, and people whose immune system doesn't function ordinarily. While it is less likely to happen in children, it can occur in newborns undergoing respiratory therapy, children with immune system problems, and children who have had recent operations.

Legionnaires' disease is a type of pneumonia which is caused by Legionella, a bacterium found principally in warm water environments. Legionnaires' disease is an towering form of pneumonia that may have serious resultants for some people, especially people in the older age groups. People become infected when they breathe in air that have legionella bacteria which have been disseminated into the air in very fine droplets of water known as aerosols. If the bacteria get inspired into the lungs they can cause infection. Legionella can also flourish in man-made systems such as cooling towers associated with air conditioning and spas.

Causes of Legionnaires Disease

Common causes and risk factor's of Legionnaires Disease include the following :

• Smoking.
• Alcohol abuse.
• Diabetes.
• Surgery.
• AIDS.
• Respiratory therapy equipment .
• Advanced age.
• Cooling systems.

Symptoms of Legionnaires Disease

Some common Symptoms of Legionnaires Disease :

• Fatigue.
• Chest pain.
• Confusion.
• Vomiting;
• Muscle aches;
• Shortness of breath.
• Loss of appetite.
• Anorexia;
• Headaches.
• Fever.
• Chills.

Treatment of Legionnaires Disease

• Antibiotics which have been used profitably to combat Legionella include doxycycline, clarithromycin, fluorinated quinolones, and trimethoprim or sulfamethoxazole.
• Antibiotic treatment begins as soon as Legionnaires' disease is suspicioused and diagnostic material is collected.
• Legionnaires' disease can be very severe and can cause death in up to 5% to 30% of cases. Most cases can be treated successfully with antibiotics.
• The complaint is treated with an antibiotic called erythromycin or a similar antibiotic like Azithromycin, antibiotics, have been effective, especially when cases are detected early.