HealthTree Blog

Legionnaire’s Disease is a form of pneumonia. It earned its distinctive name because of its discovery at a 1976 convention attended by members of the American Legion. The bacterium that causes Legionnaire’s Disease has been identified as one called Legionella. This particular germ occurs naturally in the environment, however, warm, moist conditions cause it to proliferate. For example, the source of the Legionella that was responsible for the outbreak in 1976 was hotel room air conditioners which had not seen regular filter changes.

Other places where Legionella can grow are swimming pools and water misting equipment. It should be noted, however, that the smaller units that are normally used in homes and smaller areas do not tend to harbor Legionella as much as larger, commercial systems. This is why Legionnaire’s Disease often occurs in large venues such as hotels.

Symptoms of Legionnaire’s Disease are similar to those of pneumonia. They include breathlessness, high fever (as much as 104° or higher), and coughing which produces green, brown, or even white phlegm. However, because Legionnaire’s Disease is a form of bacterial pneumonia, symptoms may be slightly worse, as is the case with any type of bacterial pneumonia. For this reason, people who believe they have Legionnaire’s Disease may want to consider whether or not they were in a place where the Legionella bacterium could have been present, and tell their health care professional.

Fortunately, bacterial pneumonias such as Legionnaire’s Disease usually respond well to treatment with antibiotics and medications to clear breathing passages and make coughs more productive. A health care professional will need to perform a physical exam to determine if Legionnaire’s Disease is present, before a course of treatment can be chosen.