Legionnaires Disease Essay

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| Legionnaires Disease | | | | | INTRODUCTION Legionnaires’ disease is an acute respiratory infection, a form of pneumonia which can be fatal, caused by the Legionella bacteria. The name of the disease and the bacteria comes from a 1976 state convention of the American Legion, at a Philadelphia hotel were 182 Legionnaires contracted the disease, 29 fatally. (Britannica, 2012). Legionella pneumophila are aerobic gram-negative rods. More than 43 species of Legionella have been identified and more than 20 that are pathogenic to humans. (Staff, 2003). They are very difficult to culture because of their complex nutrient requirements, such as cysteine, high concentrations of iron, and the use of activated charcoal agar. They survive as intracellular pathogens of either protozoa or human macrophages. The bacteria commonly exist in rivers and lakes, are often found in any warm water system or device; air conditioning cooling towers, whirlpool spas, humidifiers, faucets and shower heads, anywhere artificial water is being supplied or used, and any place where water is stagnant. People contract Legionnaires by inhaling small droplets of the contaminated water. The disease has not been proven to pass from person to person. The likely hood of contracting the disease depends on the level of contamination of the source, health and age of the person exposed, and the intensity of the exposure. Most cases are a single isolated case, but outbreaks may occur. It is most often to happen in places that have large complex water supply systems, such as hospitals, hotels and buildings which cater to large numbers of people. (Burke A. Cunha, 2012) EPIDEMIOLOGY In the United States Legionnaires is fairly common and serious. It has a reported incidence of 8000-18,000 hospitalized cases per year, with an estimated over 25,000 cases occur each year and leads to more than 4000

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