Highlighter is on. Drag to highlight text. Click a highlight to remove it.
ALL / Infectious Diseases
<i>Legionella</i>
Legionella
Legionnaire's disease is caused by the intracellular bacterium Legionella pneumophilia. It typically colonizes water tanks and hence questions may hint at air-conditioning systems or foreign holidays. Person-to-person transmission is not seenFeatures
- flu-like symptoms including fever (present in > 95% of patients)
- dry cough
- relative bradycardia
- confusion
- lymphopaenia
- hyponatraemia
- deranged liver function tests
- pleural effusion: seen in around 30% of patients
Investigations
- diagnositic test of choice:urinary antigen
- chest x-ray findings are non-specific but may include:
- a mid-to-lower zone predominance of patchy consolidation
- pleural effusions in around 30%
Management
- treat with erythromycin/clarithromycin
Comparison of Legionella and Mycoplasma pneumonia
Chest x-ray features of legionella pnuemonia are non-specific but includes a mid-to-lower zone predominance of patchy consolidation. Pleural effusions are seen in around 30%.
+PassMedicine Notes
Legionnaire's disease is caused by the intracellular bacterium Legionella pneumophilia. It typically colonizes water tanks and hence questions may hint at air-conditioning systems or foreign holidays. Person-to-person transmission is not seen
Features- flu-like symptoms including fever (present in > 95% of patients)
- dry cough
- relative bradycardia
- confusion
- lymphopaenia
- hyponatraemia
- deranged liver function tests
- pleural effusion: seen in around 30% of patients
- diagnositic test of choice:urinary antigen
- chest x-ray findings are non-specific but may include:
- a mid-to-lower zone predominance of patchy consolidation
- pleural effusions in around 30%
- treat with erythromycin/clarithromycin
