Legionella Pneumonia
Disease information
Legionella Pneumonia
Neumonía
by Legionela.
It is an
infection
of the lung caused by
a
called bacterium Legionela Pneumófila.
It
was
denominated thus in 1976 after an epidemic that affected 182 people who attended
a
convention of the
American
Legion
.
It constitutes between
a
1 and
a
8% of the total of all pneumonías.
Causes.
Bacterial
infection
between contaminated people and sources.
The
Legionella
pneumófila reproduces in very high humidity circumstances and is resistant to
common
disinfectants to the
normal
doses, for that reason
a
habitual center of
infection
constitutes the cooling towers of great buildings.
The germ is
transmitted
through the air and the
period
of incubation is of 2 to 10 days after the exhibition stage.
Signs and symptoms.
General malaise.
Headache
.
Chills and fever of until 40°C.
Muscular
pain.
Progressive cough with esputo of grayish color getting to be even sanguinolento.
Nauseas, vomits, diarrea, loss of the appetite.
Alteration of the mental state with confusion and lethargy or delirium.
Loss of
weight
.
Factors of risk.
Age outpost.
Debilitadoras
chronic
diseases
including.
diabetes
,
chronic
nefrítico
failure
or.
enfisema.
Tabaquismo.
Excessive
alcohol
consumption.
Inmuno - supresivos medicine use, including.
cortisone and.
the medication anti -
cancer
.
Diseases
that produce inmunosupresión, like.
the S. I.
D
.
A
.
leucemias and.
linfomas.
Prevention.
Maintain the systems of heating and regular conditioned air clean and make inspection.
It does not smoke.
It does not take more than 1 or 2 spirits at the most to the day.
Diagnosis and treatment.
The diagnosis tests will include:
Analysis of blood,
x - rayses,
cultures of esputo and.
broncoscopia (introduction of
a
flexible tube by the mouth until the lungs, for the visualization and taking of samples)
The treatment requires well - taken care of antibiotics and of support.
In the cases of gravity, one requires the hospitalization for intensive cares and oxygen administration.
The following directives will be of application for the slight cases or the cares after the hospitalization:
General Measures.
Use
a
ultrasonic humidificador of cold steam to increase the air humidity and to facilitate the expulsion of
pulmonary
secretions by means of the cough.
Clean the humidificador daily.
Use hot compresas or an electrical blanket for the chest with the purpose of alleviating the pain.
It will be able to take aspirin or paracetamol to lower the fever.
Medication.
Antibiotics during
a
period
of three weeks.
Asegúrese to complete all the prescribed medication.
If to toser he is to him painful and he does not produce esputo, his
doctor
will recommend the medicine use to him to eliminate it.
In main lines, it does not use supresivos of the cough when this one produces esputo.
Activity
.
Make exercises of deep breathing with as much frequency as their forces allow it.
Diet.
Take many líqudos, will help to the production and expulsion of esputo.
Complications.
Shock or delirium.
Congestivo
cardiac
failure
.
Nefrítico
failure
.
Alterations in the heart rate.
Uncontrollable
infection
and death.
Prognosis.
Normally curable with immediate diagnosis and treatment.
In case of not being treated, it is fatal in
a
15% of the cases.
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