·Patients who have failed outpatient antibiotic therapy
·Patients with severe pneumonia, in particular those requiring intensive care
·Immuno-compromised host with pneumonia
·Patients with pneumonia in the setting of a legionellosis outbreak
·Patients with a travel history [Patients that have traveled away from their home within two weeks before the onset of illness.]
·Patients suspected of healthcare-associated pneumonia
Diagnostic Tests done in checking for illness or infection of the lungs, in general:
Legionnaires’ disease is similar to other types of pneumonia. To help identify the presence of legionella bacteria quickly, your doctor may use a test that checks your urine for legionella antigens — foreign substances that trigger an immune system response. You may also have one or more of the following:
·Blood tests
·Chest X-ray, which doesn’t confirm Legionnaires’ disease but can show the extent of infection in your lungs
·Tests on a sample of your sputum or lung tissue
·A CT scan of your brain or a spinal tap (lumbar puncture) if you have neurological symptoms such as confusion or trouble concentrating.
How to test in particular for Legionnaires’ Disease Only:
·Urinary antigen assay & culture of respiratory secretions on selective media are the preferred diagnostic tests for Legionnaires’ disease
·Sensitivity varies depending on the quality and timing of specimen collection as well as technical skill of the laboratory performing the test.
TREATMENT:
·Legionnaires’ disease is treated with antibiotics. The sooner therapy is started, the less likely the chance of serious complications or death. In many cases, treatment requires hospitalization. Pontiac fever goes away on its own without treatment and causes no lingering problems.
LASTLY about “outbreaks of Legionnaire’s disease” are preventable, but prevention requires meticulous cleaning and disinfection of water systems, pools and spas.
Avoiding smoking is the single most important thing you can do to lower your risk of infection. Smoking increases the chances that you’ll develop Legionnaires’ disease if you’re exposed to legionella bacteria.
