Microbiology and Epidemiology of Legionnaire's Disease

Emilio Bouza, Almudena Burillo, María Luisa Pedro-Botet

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articleResearchpeer-review

78 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

© 2016 Elsevier Inc. Legionnaire's disease (LD) is the pneumonic form of legionellosis caused by aerobic gram-negative bacilli of the genus Legionella. Individuals become infected when they inhale aerosolized water droplets contaminated with Legionella species. Forty years after the identification of Legionella pneumophila as the cause of the 1976 pneumonia outbreak in a hotel in Philadelphia, we have non–culture-based diagnostic tests, effective antibiotics, and preventive measures to handle LD. With a mortality rate still around 10%, underreporting, and sporadic outbreaks, there is still much work to be done. In this article, the authors review the microbiology, laboratory diagnosis, and epidemiology of LD.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)7-27
JournalInfectious Disease Clinics of North America
Volume31
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Mar 2017

Keywords

  • Legionnaire's disease
  • Legionnaire's disease epidemiology
  • Legionella
  • Legionnaire's diseases diagnosis
  • Legionnaire's diseases microbiology

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