Legionnaires disease

Legionella pneumophila infection: treatment for known or suspected cases

• ALWAYS discuss with ID Micro when diagnosis is considered

Risk factors:

• smoking
• older age
• immunocompromise
• community and hospital acquisition
• acute liver injury
• travel with overnight stay outside of the home within the last 2 weeks.
• exposure to aerosolised water e.g air conditioning, hot tubs, spa pool etc.
• gardening (compost exposure)

Associations:

• hyponatraemia
• deranged LFTS
• diarrhoea
• confusion
• AKI
• relative bradycardia
• elevated ferritin levels

Diagnosis:

• Legionella Urinary Antigen (serotype 1 only)
• Culture of BAL or sputum

Duration:

• Treat for 7-10 days (increase to 14-21 days for severe cases or immunocompromised)