Legionnaires’ Disease

Legionnaires’ disease is one of the types of pneumonia. This is normally found in people who stay in buildings that have contaminated showers or have cooling systems. Cases of isolated infections have also been reported, but the underlying cause is not identified it.

It is normally found in elderly people or middle aged people. It also develops in people who are excessive smokers or suffer from severe chest infections.

Symptoms

A person develops symptoms only after a period of two to ten days he incurs the infection. The symptoms associated with this condition are:

• Very high fever with excessive sweating
• Presence of very sever headaches
• Breath shortness
• A person will experience a pain on one side of the chest which occurs as a result of pleural infections
• The cough that was mild worsens. The person will be able to see a thick green coloured mucous. In certain cases, the mucous will contain blood.
• The person will experience pains and aches in the muscles.

A few persons may experience vomitting, mental confusion, renal damage, hepatic damage as well as diarrhoea, if any other organs develop infection.

Causes

The Legionella bacteria do not cause any infection sin the normal conditions. But the bacteria multiply in large numbers which can lead to infections. The sources which trigger the multiplication of the bacteria are:

• Warm water bath and whirlpool spas
• The water in the cooling system and air conditioners which is re-circulated.
• Decorative fountains
• The water reservoirs found in the humidifiers.
• The nebulisers which are used in the respiratory machines in hospitals for the treatment of breathing-related conditions as well as
• The cooling towers.

If a person breathes the water droplets which contain the Legionella bacteria, he develops the infection. Legionnaires’ disease is not contagious.

Treatment

The treatment for Legionnaires’ disease is usually done after admitting the infected person to the hospital. Antibiotics are administered to the person in an oral form or intravenously. Even though all the antibiotics are effective and can be used for the treatment of Legionella bacteria, the commonly prescribed antibiotic is erythromycin.

If the person has developed very severe infections then the antibiotic called Rifampicin is also administered along with erythromycin.

Person who have difficulty while breathing are given oxygen. If pneumonia is very critical, then the person will be kept in the intensive care which provides ventilation.

The flu like condition called the Pontiac fever which may develop because of the infection caused by the same bacteria does not require any specific treatment. The person can use mild analgesics like ibuprofen or paracetamol to reduce the muscle aches, muscle pains and fever associated with this condition.

Prevention

One can prevent the Legionnaires’ disease by chlorinating the water properly. The water supplies must be sealed properly to prevent the spread of the infection.

Since the infection develops mostly in people who stay in hotels, tourists are subjected to this condition.

This disease is not contaminative. A person will not develop this infection from drinking water also.