Legionnaire's disease

• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• I
• J
• K
• L
• M
• N
• O
• P
• Q
• R
• S
• T
• U
• V
• W
• X
• Y
• Z

Legionnaires' disease organism, legionella

Legionella pneumonia; Pontiac fever

• Muscle aches and stiffness
• Joint pain
• Loss of energy
• General discomfort, uneasiness, or ill feeling (malaise)
• Headache
• Fever
• Shaking chills
• Nonproductive cough
• Coughing of blood
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Diarrhea
• Ataxia (lack of coordination)

• Listening to the chest with a stethoscope reveals fine crackles.
• Sputum direct fluorescent antibody staining shows Legionella.
• The causative organism may be cultured from the airway.
• Urine tests for the bacteria (urine antigen test) may be positive.
• Chest X-ray shows pneumonia.
• Arterial blood gas analysis may show low concentrations of oxygen.
• CBC shows an increased white blood cell count .
• Erythrocyte sedimentation rate is increased.
• Low serum sodium.
• Liver function tests may show moderate elevation.

Review Date: 06/09/2005
Reviewed By: Camille Kotton, M.D., Infectious Diseases Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.