Legionnaire’s disease is a type of pneumonia hence a respiratory infection . The disease was for the first time identified in Philadelphia as an epidemic in 1976 at a Legion convention. The discovery was done by investigators from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention CDC and is known to be responsible for an estimated 12,000 cases in the US annually. This disease happens to be prone to hospital set ups with preference to particular geographical regions.
This paper is going to discuss about legionnaire disease that is its origin, how it was discovered, symptoms and its possible cure The causative agent responsible for the disease is a gram negative bacterium of the legionellaceae family called legionella. There very many stains of the bacteria but most cases of legionnaire disease are known to be caused by one legionella pneumophilla isolated from lung tissues (Gobrach, et al 153). The bacteria happen to colonize water systems in hospitals and other related institutions, hotels included.
Other isolations have been discovered in soil and other aquatic systems . There are fewer cases where community based transmissions have occurred but are thought to be moderate. The hospital bound transmissions also called nasocomial is related to the inhabitation of the hot water systems by the bacteria. The contamination of aerosol generators used in respiratory therapy is another possible way of transmission. Aerosolisation from showers happens to accelerate the way through which the bacterium spreads.
Other modes of transmission include micro aspiration of contaminated water in the hospital (Seymour Stanton 2001, 505) Susceptible individuals are bound to get Pontiac fever, a mild manifestation of legionnaires disease after an exposure to aerosols contaminated with the bacteria strains , this happens to be non pneumonic, (Sherwood Gobrach et, al 2003, 526) Once infected, it takes 2-10 days for the disease symptoms to occur, this is thus the incubation period for this bacteria (Block 505).
The most evident symptoms may occur in the form of spasmodic fevers or as Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP). community acquired pneumonia is associated with other extra pulmonary signs that may range from mental confusion , headaches, stomachaches to diarrhea . Most pneumonia cases associated with legionnaire disease are accompanied by unproductive coughs. Cases of bradycardia in most CAP points to legionnaire’s disease. Other related symptoms include nausea, vomiting, disorientation and hypoxia.
Inpatients especially those who develop pneumonia, legionnaires may be fatal in some cases yielding to hypotension, heart failures and fatal shocks (Lippincott and Wilkins 123) Diagnosis of the disease is based on the lab isolation of the bacteria. This is quite a task owing to the gram negativity of this bacteria and the inability to be grown in most of the commonly available culture mediums. Isolates from sputums in patients is used as a diagnostic tool. Other diagnosis can involve x-rays and observation for extra pulmonary symptoms (Cunha 148).