What is Legionnaires' Disease?

Legionnaires' Disease is a form of pneumonia caused by the bacterium Legionella bacteria that thrive in warm, stagnant water.

The bacteria's name came from the 1976 American Legion Convention in Philadelphia, where 221 people contracted the disease and 34 died. The source of the bacterium was contaminated water used to cool the air in the hotel's air conditioning system.

Although Legionella bacteria existed before 1976, more illness from Legionnaires' disease is being detected now. The increase in reporting these cases probably comes from the fact that doctors now look for this disease in patients that have pneumonia.

Is there Legionnaires' disease in Montgomery County?

The Montgomery County Health Department received one report of Legionnaries' disease in 2003. There were three cases reported both in 2004 and 2005.

How is Legionnaires' disease spread?

Legionnella bacteria are found in the environment, usually in water. The bacteria grow best in warm water, like the kind found in hot tubs, cooling towers, hot water tanks, large plumbing systems, or parts of the air-conditioning systems of large buildings.

People contract Legionnaires' disease by breathing in a mist or vapor that has been contaminated with the bacteria (breathing in the steam from a whirlpool spa that has not been properly cleaned and disinfected, for example.) Outbreaks occur when two or more people become ill in the same place at about the same time. Outbreaks have occurred in hospitals, on cruise ships and in hotels.

What are the symptoms of Legionnaires' disease?

Legionnaires' disease can have symptoms like many other forms of pneumonia, so it's difficult to diagnose at first. Signs of the disease include high fever, chills and a cough. Some people also suffer from muscle aches and headaches.

Giving patients chest X-rays helps doctors find the pneumonia caused by the Legionella bacteria, while sputum, blood or urine tests find evidence of the bacteria itself. Symptoms usually begin 2 to 14 days after exposure.

What is the treatment for Legionnaires' Disease?

Though Legionnaires' disease is very serious and can cause death, most cases can be treated successfully with antibiotics. Healthy people who seek treatment usually recover from the infection. Those at most risk for the disease are the elderly, smokers, those who have a chronic lung disease (like emphysema), or those with weakened immune systems.

What should I do if I think I was exposed to Legionella bacteria?

If you believe you were exposed to Legionella bacteria, talk to your doctor or health department. Be sure to tell them if you have traveled in the last two weeks.

Because Legionella cannot be spread between humans, a person diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease in the workplace is not a threat to others who share his or her office space. If you believe that your workplace was the source of the illness, however, contact the Environmental Health Services so they can investigate the facility.

If you own a pool or spa, be sure to clean regularly with chlorine or bromine, chemicals proven effective in destroying Legionella and other bacteria.

To find out more about Legionnaires' disease, talk with your doctor or check out the CDC web site: http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/disease/legionnaires.asp