Legionella symptoms often look like pneumonia (lack of airflow through the lungs). You may also have fever, chills, muscle aches, and diarrhea. Some people have mental changes.
These bacteria grow best in warm water, such as that found in decorative fountains, hot tubs, whirlpools, and large building air-conditioning units. You get Legionnaires’ disease by breathing in mist or small drops of contaminated water.
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Legionnaires’ disease and another illness caused by the same bacteria, called Pontiac fever, can cause flu-like symptoms including fever, muscle aches and a dry cough. It’s important to talk with your doctor if you are experiencing these symptoms. They can recommend a course of antibiotics to help treat the infection. These are usually fluoroquinolones, such as levofloxacin (Levaquin) or ciprofloxacin (Cipro).
Legionella bacteria are found in natural water bodies, such as lakes, rivers and hot springs, and in man-made systems that use water for cooling, heating and industrial purposes, such as cooling towers. People can get the infection by breathing in tiny droplets of water or mist that contain Legionella. It’s not spread from one person to the next, like other types of pneumonia.
People at higher risk for getting legionellosis include those over 50 years of age, smokers and those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or emphysema, or those who have a weakened immune system due to certain medical conditions, such as cancer or diabetes, or taking certain medications, such as steroid drugs. It’s also more common for people to get the disease after staying in a long-term care facility or hospital.
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Legionella species are Gram-negative bacteria that are commonly found in water. The bacteria may cause pneumonia by inhalation of small droplets of water that contain the bacteria. The pneumonia caused by Legionella is called Legionnaires’ Disease. Inhalation of contaminated water infected with Legionella can also lead to a milder illness that does not result in pneumonia, called Pontiac fever.
A cough is a common symptom of Legionella infection. The cough is dry at first and then becomes more productive, coughing up mucus or sometimes blood. The cough can last for a long time and may cause difficulty breathing. The patient may also experience a feeling of weakness and a general fever.
A doctor will diagnose legionellosis by taking a medical history and doing a physical exam. The doctor will ask about where you have been recently and if you have ever used a hot tub or stayed in a hotel or hospital where Legionnaires’ Disease may have spread. The doctor will do a urine and sputum test to check for the presence of Legionella. They will also do a chest X-ray to see if you have pneumonia. You can get rid of the Legionella bacteria in your body by taking antibiotics. The best ones are fluoroquinolones like levofloxacin (Levaquin) or ciprofloxacin (Cipro).
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Muscle pain (myalgia) is common with Legionnaires’ disease. It often starts in one particular muscle group and gets worse with movement or activity. It can be more severe in people with certain health conditions, such as lupus or fibromyalgia.
Sometimes the legionella bacteria do not infect the lungs and only cause flu-like symptoms like fever, chills, headache and muscle aches. This is called Pontiac fever and it is milder than the pulmonary form of legionellosis, Legionnaires’ disease.
Most people catch legionnaires’ disease by breathing in tiny droplets of water containing the legionella bacteria. These droplets are sprayed into the air by shower heads, misters, decorative fountains, whirlpool spas or water cooling towers for air conditioning. The bacteria are also found in soil and can make its way into buildings’ plumbing systems. Without treatment, some people can develop serious complications including septic shock. This is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the sudden drop in blood pressure reduces the amount of oxygen reaching organs. It can lead to brain damage, kidney failure and heart failure.
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Acute diarrhoea is seen in 25-50% of patients and can be associated with nausea, vomiting and confusion. It is a common complication of Legionnaires’ disease and can be severe in some cases leading to multi-organ failure.
Diarrhea is a serious medical emergency and should be treated promptly. The patient may become dehydrated and need to be put on intravenous fluids or may require hospitalization for monitoring and treatment.
People catch Legionnaires’ disease by breathing in water droplets that contain the Legionella bacteria. The bacteria are found in natural water sources such as lakes and rivers, but can also be present in man-made water systems like hot tubs, air conditioners, spa pools and plumbing systems.
The doctor diagnoses Legionnaires’ disease by doing a physical exam and getting a detailed history of possible exposure. They may order urine tests or sputum cultures to check for Legionella. They may also order chest X-rays to see how the lungs are working. The doctor may also do blood tests and a kidney function test. If the disease is not treated, it can lead to severe pneumonia and potentially fatal shock.
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Confusion is a common sign of infection with Legionella and can range from mild to severe. It may be due to the infection itself or it can be related to other diseases, disorders and conditions, such as serious infections, some chronic medical problems, sleep disorders, head injury, dementia, delirium or a seizure.
The symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease and the less serious Pontiac fever begin like flu with fever, chills, aches and pains, a general feeling of illness, cough and diarrhea. The lungs become involved in the later stages of the disease, resulting in pneumonia.
Diagnosis of Legionnaires’ disease starts with a physical exam and getting a detailed history. Your doctor will ask if you have used a hot tub or traveled anywhere recently, which are risk factors for the disease. Blood tests, urinalysis and sputum samples help confirm the diagnosis. Chest X-rays and CT scans can also show changes in the lungs that are consistent with pneumonia. You might need a procedure called bronchoscopy, where your provider inserts a thin, lighted tube into the lungs and takes samples for testing.