Hospital-acquired Legionnaires' disease has been reported from many hospitals since the first outbreak in 1976. Although cooling towers were linked to the cases of Legionnaires' disease in the years after its discovery, potable water has been the environmental source for almost all reported hospital outbreaks. Microaspiration is the major mode of transmission in hospital-acquired Legionnaires' ...

BACKGROUND Legionnaires' disease is a severe form of pneumonia, and although public health medical inspectors must be notified, it is often under-reported. The objectives of this study were to determine the completeness rate of notification of Legionnaires' disease and to estimate the incidence of this disease in Wallonia, the southern part of Belgium, in 2012. METHOD This retrospective, tran...

BACKGROUND We assessed and compared the long-term health status of Q-fever patients and patients with Legionnaires' disease. METHODS Q-fever patients and patients with Legionnaires' disease fulfilling the Dutch notification criteria filled out a questionnaire at one year after onset of illness. The proportion of patients with an abnormal score was calculated for 12 health status subdomains an...

A case of nonfatal Legionnaires' disease was complicated by rhabdomyolysis, myoglobinuria, and acute nonoliguric renal failure. It was not determined whether the rhabdomyolysis was secondary to direct toxic effect of the organism or due to a circulating factor causing muscle necrosis. This case provides additional evidence that rhabdomyolysis with subsequent renal failure may be a serious compl...

We report an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease ina nursing home in Slovenia in August 2010 affecting 15 of 234 residents. To date, Legionnaires' disease has been confirmed in four patients. Further serum analyses and genotyping of isolates are ongoing. The building's water distribution system with dead end sections has been identified as the probable source of infection.

Legionella pneumophila is a gram-negative pathogen that causes a severe pneumonia known as Legionnaires' disease. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that L. pneumophila infects and grows within cultured human endothelial cells. Endothelial infection may contribute to lung damage observed during Legionnaires' disease and to systemic spread of this organism.

A case of Legionnaires' disease is described in a 63 year old man who presented with pneumonia and confusion. Eleven days after admission he became acutely hypotensive and attempts at resuscitation failed. Post-mortem examination revealed spontaneous splenic rupture and massive hepatocellular necrosis--an outcome that has not previously been associated with Legionnaires' disease.

Legionnaires' disease may present with a broad spectrum of illnesses and nonspecific extrapulmonary symptoms including diarrhea. To our knowledge, bowel obstruction has not been reported as a manifestation of Legionella. We present a unique case of Legionnaires' disease contributing to a small bowel obstruction.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Hospital-acquired legionnaires' disease can be prevented by disinfection of hospital water systems. This study assessed the long-term efficacy of copper-silver ionization as a disinfection method in controlling Legionella in hospital water systems and reducing the incidence of hospital-acquired legionnaires' disease. A standardized, evidence-based approach to assist ho...

A single sporadic case of Legionnaires' disease which showed some unusual features is described from a young male who had never been out of the United Kingdom. The relevant literature is briefly reviewed.