Legionnaires' disease (legionellosis or legionellosis) is a serious infectious disease of the respiratory tract, caused by the gram-negative bacterium Legionella pneumophila. The extrapulmonary form of this disease is called Pontiac fever. What are the routes of infection with legionella? How is the treatment going?

Legionella( Legionella pneumophila ) is a relatively recently discovered family of bacteria (45 species and 64 serological groups) - gram-negative bacilli, which cause diseases such as:

  • Legionnaires' disease(severe pneumonia)
  • Pontiac fever

The former is definitely more dangerous - the mortality rate in patients with pulmonary legionellosis is very high, averaging 15 to 20 percent. Fortunately, Legionnaires' disease accounts for only 3 to 8 percent of all bacillus diseaseLegionella .

Legionella: where can you get infected?

Legionella lives in an aquatic environment, so it can be infected wherever a water-air aerosol is formed from water contaminated by these bacteria:

  • in the shower
  • in the jacuzzi
  • in air-conditioned rooms
  • using inhalers and humidifiers

Garden sprinklers and fountains can also be dangerous.

The important thing is that you cannot catch Legionnaires' disease or Pontiac fever by drinking contaminated water.Legionella pneumophilais also not transmitted from person to person.

Legionnaires' disease: symptoms

The incubation period for Legionnaires' disease is 2 to 10 days after contact withLegionella pneumophila . Symptoms vary widely and vary in severity.

General symptoms:

  • fever
  • chills
  • feeling weak
  • feeling unwell
  • sleepiness
  • anorexia
  • headaches
  • muscle pains
  • dry cough, then moist
  • pleural chest pain
  • hemoptysis
  • bradycardia in over 60 percent of patients and lower blood pressure
  • hyponatremia
  • hypophosphatemia
  • increase in transaminase levels

Digestive symptoms

  • diarrhea approximately 50 percent of the time
  • nausea and vomiting in 10-20 percent of those infected

Neurological symptoms

  • entanglement
  • confusion
  • dementia
  • insomnia
  • hallucinations
  • convulsions

Legionnaires' disease: treatment

Legionnaires' disease should not be underestimated - mortality is estimated from 5 to even 80 percent, depending on the general he alth of the infected personLegionella pneumophilaand how quickly treatment started.

In the case of Legionnaires' disease, hospitalization and administration of one or more antibiotics - azithromycin, clarithromycin and ciprofloxacin - are required.

Legionnaires' disease: complications

In the group of the greatest risk of complications, there are mainly elderly people and people suffering from chronic diseases. The most common complications are:

  • lung abscess
  • emphysema
  • multi-organ failure
  • neurological disorders

If complications occur, both treatment and convalescence are significantly longer. It happens that complete recovery is not possible.

Pontiac fever

In the case of Pontiac fever, the first symptoms of infectionLegionella pneumophilausually appear several hours after contact with the microorganism, and it is assumed that the incubation period lasts no longer than 3 The symptoms of Pontiac fever are:

  • fever
  • chills
  • difficulty breathing
  • dry persistent cough
  • weakness, fatigue
  • articular pain
  • headaches

They may be accompanied by gastrointestinal symptoms, such as:

  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • diarrhea

Symptoms last for about 2-5 days and resolve without treatment.

Category:

Infectious diseases