Legionellosis represents an infection provoked by such bacterium as legionella pneumophila. There are two legionellosis forms.
1) Legionnaires’ disease is actually the most serious infection form that might as well involve pneumonia. This type of the illness usually lasts 2-10 days after the infection but it is also likely to happen16 days later.
Legionnaires’ disease received its name after a pneumonia outbreak in 1976 that struck the people attending the American Legion convention in Philadelphia. And later on the bacteria evolving the disease was called legionella pneumophila.
2) Pontiac fever is a moderate disease which can develop from several hours to 2 days after the initial infection and it generally resolves spontaneously.
An interesting fact is that it has been estimated that about 10-15 thousand people per year are affected by Legionnaires’ disease in the US. An extra unknown number of humans contract the legionella bacteria but they might have just moderate symptoms and no signs at all.
The outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disorder have gained the most of media attention. However we should mention that the disease often happens as isolated single cases not attributed to some particular identified outbreak. What is interesting is that the disease outbreaks are generally recognized in summer and also in early autumn, though cases have been noticed during the year time. Approximately 5-15% of the Legionnaires’ disease cases were fatal.
In fact since the time when the bacteria of Legionnaires’ disease were discovered in 1976, a rage amount of hospital acquired disease outbreaks have been reported. The outbreaks have encouraged the scientists and different researchers to look into the legionellosis epidemics and study them properly.
common legionellosis symptoms
People having Legionnaires’ disease can often develop cough, chills, as well as fever. The cough caused by this disease might be dry and can produce sputum. Cases are known when patients suffering from Legionnaires’ disease had headache, muscle aches, tiredness, diarrhea and appetite loss. As worst Legionnaires’ disease may evolve a serious pneumonia, might as well affect breathing and can even result in respiratory failure. Such a health problem as the syndrome of adult respiratory distress abbreviated ARDS is also the cause of Legionnaires’ disease.
Individuals having Pontiac fever suffer from a self limiting flu resembling disease with headaches, chills, fever, muscle aches but in fact they don’t have pneumonia by definition. The people affected can get over in 2-5 days with no treatment at all.