Legionella Pneumonia: Causes, Prevalence, Diagnosis, Signs & Treatment - Research Paper

Introduction

Legionella is a type of pneumonia caused by a bacterium. The disease got recognized in1976 after there was a pneumonia outbreak in Philadelphia (Des & Burton, 2019). It acquired its name from the incident which took place in the American Legion convention. Legionella pneumonia is an infection that transmits easily in complex systems. The paper focuses on providing comprehensive information on the infection. It talks about the causes, prevalence, diagnosis, signs, and symptoms, also treatment techniques.

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Signs and Symptoms

The infection starts to develop two days after exposure. An individual begins to experience signs and symptoms which include headache, muscle pains, and fever. From the first 48 hours, one can start to develop symptoms such as cough, improper breathing, chest pains, vomiting, diarrhea, and mental changes (Des & Burton, 2019). The bacterial infection mainly affects the lungs but it can spread to other body organs such as the heart. There is a form of legionella called Pontiac fever. It makes a person to show symptoms such as fever, chills, and headache. It is important to note that a person should seek medical guidance after acquiring legionella pneumonia. It assists an individual in having a quick recovery hence avoid health complications. Legionella infection cause death since it facilitates several health complications such as respiratory problems, septic shock, and kidney failure. It causes the kidney to stop performing its function hence the accumulation of waste in a human body. Statistics suggest that about 10% of people who get infected with the infection can die (Wilkins & Stoller, 2003).

Causes

Legionella bacteria survive in freshwater and soil but rarely cause infections. It contaminates hot water tanks and air conditioners. Legionella bacteria can also spread through aspiration. it is the process by which liquids enter a person's lungs during activities such as coughing. A person can contract the infection through aspirate water. There are cases whereby people acquired the disease when working in a garden or contaminated soil. There are various risk aspects of the infection which include old age, smoking habits, and weak immune system (Wilkins & Stoller, 2003). Regular smoking destroys the lungs which makes people prone to different types of lung infections. One can have a low immune system because of HIV/AIDS or medications such as drugs that patients take after organ transplants. Legionnaires' disease can transmit easily in medical facilities and nursing homes since the bacteria can spread to people who can easily acquire the disease.

Prevalence

Legionnaires infection leads to up to 9% of pneumonia cases. Statistics indicate that around 8,000 to 18,000 patients become hospitalized after getting diagnosed with the bacterial infection every year in the US (Edelstein & Christian, 2015). But there is an absence of records that show the global prevalence rate of the infection. There are few medical cases where patients get a complicated infection because of legionella bacteria. It is important to note that the infection is common during the summer and fall. In the reported cases, 80% are people over 50 years old and of the male gender (Edelstein & Christian,2015). Statistics noted that that the highest morality cases of legionnaires were during the American Legion convention since it leads around 30 deaths.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Doctors carry out the diagnosis of bacterial infection through the use of a urinary antigen test and sputum culture. The diagnostic methods enable the comparison of Legionella antibody levels in different blood levels and the detection of the disease's antigens in urine samples. Doctors can identify the presence of the bacteria through mucus. One can treat legionella through the use of antibiotics such as azithromycin. Effective medical treatment for bacterial infection should have a high intracellular penetration power. There are no preventive medicines available to control the spread of the disease. It is important for water management systems to monitor the water used to prevent the transmission of legionella pneumonia. A person can lower the risk of acquiring the infection by avoiding habits such as smoking.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Legionella is a form of infection which can lead to serious complications when not dealt with as soon as possible. It enables a person to experience a wide range of symptoms such as fever, headache, and lung infections. Scientists should develop vaccines to ensure that people protect themselves when in facilities such as hospitals.

References

Des Jardins, T., & Burton, G. G. (2019). Clinical Manifestations & Assessment of Respiratory Disease E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences. Retrieved from: https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=cdiCDwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=Manifestations+and+Assessment+of+respiratory+disease+Terry+Desjardins&ots=Co2TIzfVaE&sig=Jr4KLt8dUmgBUgbSyj-lys-xFwU

Edelstein, P. H., & Christian, L. U. C. K. (2015). Legionella. In Manual of Clinical Microbiology, Eleventh Edition (pp. 887-904). American Society of Microbiology. Retrieved from: http://www.asmscience.org/content/book/10.1128/9781555817381.mcm11.ch49

Wilkins, R. L., & Stoller, J. K. (2003). Egan's Fundamentals of Respiratory Care, 8e. Retrieved from: http://nye15.squadup.com/7j28/17-kristin-graham-jr/read-0323018130-egan-x27-s-fundamentals-of-respiratory-care-8e.pdf