Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

Legionella bacteria forces CDC office closures

(HealthDay)—The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention informed employees that office space it rents in the Atlanta area would be closed after Legionella, the bacteria that causes legionnaires disease, was found ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

Why are people still dying from Legionnaires' disease?

In the nearly 50 years since epidemiologists first discovered Legionnaires' disease, we have learned how to test for it, treat it and prevent it. So why are people still dying from it and why are more and more people becoming ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

Legionnaires' disease outbreak linked to Atlanta hotel

Legionnaires' disease has been diagnosed in 11 people who stayed at the Sheraton Atlanta, and there have been another 55 probable cases, Georgia health officials say.

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

Windshield washer fluid a source of Legionnaires

A form of bacteria responsible for respiratory illness, including the deadly pneumonia known as Legionnaire's disease, may be able to grow in windshield washer fluid and was isolated from nearly 75% of school buses tested ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

Nevada officials: Luxor guests had Legionnaires'

(AP) -- Health officials in Las Vegas said Monday that the bacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease was found in water samples at the Luxor hotel-casino this month after a guest died of the form of pneumonia.

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Legionellosis is a potentially fatal infectious disease caused by gram negative, aerobic bacteria belonging to the genus Legionella. Over 90% of legionellosis cases are caused by Legionella pneumophila, a ubiquitous aquatic organism that thrives in temperatures between 25 and 45 °C (77 and 113 °F), with an optimum temperature of 35 °C (95 °F).

Legionellosis takes two distinct forms:

Legionnaires' disease acquired its name in July 1976 when an outbreak of pneumonia occurred among people attending a convention of the American Legion at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia. On January 18, 1977 the causative agent was identified as a previously unknown strain of bacteria, subsequently named Legionella. Some people can be infected with the Legionella bacteria and have only mild symptoms or no illness at all.

Outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease receive significant media attention. However, this disease usually occurs as single, isolated cases not associated with any recognized outbreak. When outbreaks do occur, they are usually in the summer and early autumn, though cases may occur at any time of year. The fatality rate of Legionnaires' disease has ranged from 5% to 30% during various outbreaks. "The death rate for patients who develop Legionnaire's disease while in the hospital is close to 50%, especially when antibiotics are started late," according to the NIH and U.S. National Library of Medicine service's MedlinePlus. Most infections occur in those who are middle-age or older.

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