Legionnaires Disease is a rigorous infection caused by bacterium Legionella Pneumophila. This disease is also a form of pneumonia. It occurs all over the world and generally found in contaminated water used in water cooled air-conditioning systems and sometimes in showers.
Legionella multiply its number in warm and stagnant water found in:
- Plumbing system
- Hot water tanks
- Cooling towers
- Evaporative condensers of large conditioning systems
- Whirlpool spas
A person may be infected by Legionnaires disease after an exposure to the mentioned sources of Legionella. It affects people of any age; however the most common victims are middle-aged and older people especially those who smoke cigarettes and have chronic lung diseases.
Symptoms of Legionnaires Disease
- Fever
- Chills
- Cough
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Loss of appetite
- Tiredness
- Occasional diarrhea
The antibiotics that can treat Legionnaires Disease are Erythromycin and Rifampicin.
