What is the Legionnaires disease?

Legionnaires’ disease is a lung infection you can get from inhaling droplets of water from things like air conditioning or hot tubs. It’s uncommon but it can be very serious.

What is Legionnaires disease caused by?

People can get Legionnaires’ disease or Pontiac fever when they breathe in small droplets of water in the air that contain the bacteria. Less commonly, people can get sick by aspiration of drinking water containing Legionella. This happens when water accidently goes into the lungs while drinking.

What is the most common cause of Legionnaires disease?

It’s caused by a bacterium known as legionella. Most people catch Legionnaires’ disease by inhaling the bacteria from water or soil. Older adults, smokers and people with weakened immune systems are particularly susceptible to Legionnaires’ disease.

What’s the symptoms of Legionnaires disease?

Legionnaires’ disease symptoms are similar to other types of pneumonia and it often looks the same on a chest x-ray.

Cough.
Shortness of breath.
Fever.
Muscle aches.
Headaches.

Can Legionnaires disease be spread from person to person?

They can appear wherever water is being artificially supplied or used. People catch Legionnaires’ disease by inhaling small droplets of tainted water, but not from drinking it. An infected person cannot generally pass the infection to another person, although it is possible in rare cases.

Where does legionella come from?

The bacterium Legionella pneumophila and related bacteria are common in natural water sources such as rivers, lakes and reservoirs, but usually in low numbers. They may also be found in purpose-built water systems such as cooling towers, evaporative condensers, hot and cold water systems and spa pools.

Can I get Legionnaires from my air conditioner?

Despite some of the hype from the media, legionella bacteria CANNOT be spread in a domestic air conditioning setting.

Where is Legionella commonly found?

Legionella exist naturally in water and moist soil. They have been found in creeks and ponds, hot and cold water taps, hot water tanks, water in air conditioning cooling towers and evaporative condensers, and soil at excavation sites.

What are the first symptoms of Legionnaires disease?

The symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease are similar to the symptoms of the flu:

high temperature, feverishness and chills;
cough;
muscle pains;
headache; and leading on to.
pneumonia, very occasionally.
diarrhoea and signs of mental confusion.

How do you prevent Legionnaires in the shower?

Stagnant water favours Legionella growth. To reduce the risk you should remove dead legs/dead ends in pipe-work, flush out infrequently used outlets (including showerheads and taps) at least weekly and clean and de-scale shower heads and hoses at least quarterly.

How dangerous is Legionnaires disease?

Legionnaires’ disease can be deadly and may have severe complications, like septic shock and respiratory failure. Anyone who thinks they may have developed Legionnaires’ disease should seek emergency medical treatment.

How do you diagnose Legionnaires disease?

Doctors most often diagnose Legionnaires’ disease the same way they detect other forms of pneumonia, with a chest X-ray and by symptoms. Legionnaires’ disease can look similar to regular pneumonia on a chest X-ray. Your doctor may test a sample of your urine or phlegm (mucus) to confirm you have Legionnaires’ disease.

How does person get Legionnaires disease?

Legionnaires’ disease can be contracted when water droplets containing Legionella bacteria enter a person’s lungs.

Does Legionnaires’ disease have a cure?

The legionnaires disease can be cure. The treatment for legionnaires disease is based on the use of antibiotics, which should be chosen from the group of macrolides (erythromycin, clarithromycin, azithromycin…) which are widely used antibiotics in respiratory infections.