Also called: Also called: Legionellosis
Legionnaires' disease is a type of pneumonia caused by bacteria. You usually get it by breathing in mist from water that contains the bacteria. The mist may come from hot tubs, showers or air-conditioning units for large buildings. The bacteria don't spread from person to person.
Symptoms of Legionnaires' disease include fever, chills, a cough and sometimes muscle aches and headaches. Other types of pneumonia have similar symptoms. You will probably need a chest x-ray to diagnose the pneumonia. Lab tests can detect the specific bacteria that cause Legionnaires' disease.
The bacteria are more likely to make you sick if you
- Are older than 65
- Smoke
- Have a lung disease
- Have a weak immune system
Legionnaires' disease is serious and can be life-threatening. However, most people recover with antibiotic treatment.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Patient Facts: Learn More about Legionnaires' Disease(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/legionella/patient_facts.htm
- Legionnaires' Disease(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/legionnaires-disease/DS00853/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all
- Legionnaires' Disease(Occupational Safety and Health Administration) - http://www.osha.gov/dts/osta/otm/legionnaires/disease_rec.html
- Resuming Safe Operation of Building Water Systems: Risk of Legionnaires' Disease(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/disease/legionnaires.asp
- Legionellosis (Legionnaires' Disease)(Logical Images) - http://www.visualdxhealth.com/atlas/legionellosisLegionnairesDisease.htm
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Legionnaires' Disease
(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Legionnaires'+Disease%22
- Article: Surveillance for waterborne disease and outbreaks associated with drinking water... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18784643&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: European network cooperation to identify hotel as source for pneumonia... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18761945&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: An outbreak of Legionnaires' disease associated with a circulating bathwater... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18622675&tool=MedlinePlus
- Legionnaires' Disease -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=legionnaires'+disease[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne, and Enteric Diseases, Division of Foodborne, Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/
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National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/
- Pneumonia - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/pneumonia.html
- Infections - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/infections.html
- Lungs and Breathing - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/lungsandbreathing.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Legionnaires' Disease is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - http://www.niaid.nih.gov/