Legionnaires `Disease
Legionnaires `Disease Causes
This disease usually occurs as a single, isolated case not associated with any recognized outbreak. When an outbreak happens, they are usually recognized in the summer and early autumn, though cases may occur at any time of year.
Legionnaires `Disease Definition
Legionnaires' disease is an infectious disease caused by bacteria belonging to the genus Legionella. Over 90% of legionellosis cases are caused by Legionella pneumophila, a ubiquitous aquatic organism that thrives in warm environments (25 to 45 ?C with an optimum around 35 ?C).
Legionnaires `Disease Diagnosis
The most useful diagnostic tests detect the bacteria in sputum, find Legionella antigens in urine samples, or compare antibody levels to Legionella in two blood samples obtained 3 to 6 weeks apart. The urine antigen test is simple, fast, and very reliable. However, the urine antigen test will not identify the specific sub typing so it cannot be used to match the patient with the environmental source of infection.
Legionnaires `Disease Symptoms and Signs
Patients with Legionnaires' disease commonly have fever, chills, and a cough, which may be dry or may produce sputum. Most of the patients also have muscle aches, headache, tiredness, loss of appetite, loss of coordination (ataxia), and occasionally diarrhea and vomiting. Laboratory tests can show that patients' renal functions, liver functions and electrolytes are deranged, including hyponatremia.
Legionnaires `Disease Treatment
Current treatments of choice are the respiratory tract quinolones (levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, gemifloxacin) or newer macrolides (azithromycin, clarithromycin, roxithromycin). The antibiotics used frequently have been levofloxacin and azithromycin. Macrolides are used in all ages while tetracyclines are prescribed for children above the age of 12 and quinolones above the age of 18.