Conditions Legionnaires Disease
Lateral Epicondylitis
Lead Poisoning Child
Leg Lengthening
Legg Calve Perthes Disease
Leukemia Adult
Leukemia Child
Little League Elbow
Loss of Voice
Legionnaires disease is a lung infection. It is a form of pneumonia . It got its name from an outbreak at the American Legionnaires Convention in 1976.
This disease is caused by specific bacteria. The bacteria are most often found in sources of standing water. It may be found in cooling towers, HVAC systems, and air conditioners.
Legionnaires disease can be contracted by breathing water vapor from a standing water source that contains the bacteria.
The Lungs
The infection is not spread from one person to another.
Factors that may increase the chances of Legionnaires disease:
Chronic lung disease
Weakened immune system
Taking cortisone or other immunosuppressive drugs
History of organ transplant
Fever (often high)
Chills and muscle aches
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done.
Your doctor may need pictures of your chest. This can be done with a chest x-ray .
Your doctor may need tests of your bodily fluids. This can be done with:
Sputum tests
This disease is usually treated with antibiotics.
Proper design, maintenance, and cleaning of high-risk areas can reduce the risk of spreading the disease. This includes any area with standing water.
SymptomsandDiagnosis
Edits to original content made by Denver Health.
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a (Legionnaires Pneumonia)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences https://www.niehs.nih.gov
Nova Scotia Health Authority http://www.nshealth.ca
Public Health Agency of Canada https://www.canada.ca
Arcavi L, Benowitz NL. Cigarette smoking and infection. Arch Intern Med. 2004;164(20):2206-2216.
Community-acquired pneumonia in adults. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T115170/Community-acquired-pneumonia-in-adults . Updated December 18, 2017. Accessed February 16, 2018.
Legionella infections. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T904756/Legionella-infections . Updated May 20, 2016. Accessed February 16, 2018.
Legionella infections. Merck Manual Professional Version website. Available at: http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/infectious-diseases/gram-negative-bacilli/legionella-infections. Updated May 2016. Accessed February 16, 2018.
Legionella (Legionnaires' disease and Pontiac fever). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/legionella/about/index.html. Updated May 31, 2016. Accessed February 16, 2018.